A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE MEETING OF EDO STATE COUNCIL OF TRADITIONAL RULERS AND CHIEFS HELD ON FRIDAY 30TH NOVEMBER, 2018 AT THE OBA PALACE,
BENIN CITY.

On the 30th of November, 2018, the Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs held a meeting at the Palace of the Oba of Benin. His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba of Benin presided over the meeting.
There were two principal issues on the Agenda for the meeting;

(i) The need to ensure a peaceful and violent-free 2019 General Elections and

(ii) The problem of poor electricity supply in Edo State.

After due delibrations on the issues in all ramifications, Council

(a) Emphasize the need for peace and security during the 2019 General Elections.

(b) Empower the Chairman Omo N’Oba Ewuare II to engage all Political Parties/Candidates/Supporters with a view to making them eschew all forms of violence before, during and after the 2019 General Elections.

(c) Call on the Security Agencies to closely monitor and prevent the possession of fire arms by unauthorized persons;

(d) Condemn and advise against the use of youths as political thugs to cause violence and mayhem in the society;

(e) Condemn in strong terms the poor performance and inability of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to provide electricity to the good people of Edo State;

(f) Frown at BEDC’s inability to provide prepaid meters to those willing to buy and its imposition of illegal and outrageous estimated billing system on its consumers;

(g) Fully endorse the actions of His Excellency, Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, Governor of Edo State in calling for the non-renewal of the contract between the BEDC and the relevant agency of the Federal Government and urge the Governor to vigorously pursue the procurement of alternative source(s) of power in order to bring comfort to the people of Edo State.

i Applaud the timely intervention of the State Government in curtailing the spread of yellow fever which recently broke out in some parts of the State and called for a concerted efforts to arrest further spread of the disease and finally,

ii Council emphasize the need for Traditional Rulers to continually play their role as fathers of all and avoid being partisan.