Asaba Cannot Grow In Darkness, Asagba Challenges BEDC On Power Supply
By PAULINA NZERUBE
THE Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON, has urged the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, to place greater emphasis on service delivery and the needs of consumers.
The monarch said electricity distribution should not focus mainly on commercial returns.
He spoke when the company’s new Regional Head in Asaba, Jeffrey Nwainokpo, led members of his management team on a courtesy visit to the palace.
Prof. Azinge acknowledged the challenge of electricity bill payment.
He, however, argued that consumers would have stronger reasons to pay when they received more reliable electricity supply.
The Asagba also raised concerns about estimated billing.
He urged the distribution company to examine areas of Asaba that still experience inadequate or unreliable power supply.
According to him, the rapid growth of the state capital has increased pressure on existing infrastructure.
Asaba has continued to attract new residents, businesses and investments.
That growth has also created a greater demand for electricity.
Prof. Azinge said he had recently engaged members of Corporate Nigeria in Lagos as part of efforts to attract investment to Asaba.
One of the major questions raised, he said, concerned the availability of stable electricity.
The monarch described power supply as a critical factor for businesses considering where to invest.
He urged BEDC to identify communities facing persistent outages and determine the causes.
“There is work to be done,” he said, noting that some parts of the state capital still experience prolonged darkness.
The Asagba warned that poor electricity supply affects more than household comfort.
He said darkness could create opportunities for criminal activities and undermine efforts to maintain security.
Residents and businesses have increasingly turned to generators and solar energy to meet their electricity needs.
Prof. Azinge said that trend reflects the gap between energy demand and available public supply.
He also pointed to the expansion of Asaba’s real estate and hospitality sectors.
The city’s future development, he said, would depend partly on the ability of essential service providers to meet growing demand.
BEDC, he added, therefore has an important role to play in the economic development of the state capital.
Earlier, Nwainokpo said he assumed office in Asaba about a month ago.
He said the visit formed part of his efforts to familiarise himself with key stakeholders and seek the support of the traditional institution.
The BEDC regional head thanked the Asaba Kingdom for its support.
He also appealed for the Asagba’s assistance in encouraging consumers to pay their electricity bills.
Nwainokpo pledged to maintain a productive relationship with the palace and serve the community.
The meeting ended with the presentation of a souvenir to the Asagba.
The engagement brought into focus the continuing relationship between electricity supply, consumer confidence and the wider economic ambitions of Asaba.
For the monarch, improved revenue collection and improved service must go together.
For BEDC, the challenge remains how to meet rising demand while also addressing the financial pressures facing the electricity distribution business.
