Frustration and discontent are spreading among residents of parts of Benin City, the Edo State capital, as the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) failed to fulfil its promise of restoring power to the affected areas by January 7.
The prolonged power outage which started on 13 November 2023 has left many in darkness, impacting daily life and business and sparking concerns about the reliability of the region’s power infrastructure.
BEDC had announced in November that it would temporarily disrupt power supply across some parts of Edo State with effect from Monday, 13 November 2023, to end by 7 January 2024.
A circular issued by the BEDC management then had explained the planned power disruption was due to a network upgrade exercise by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on the Ihovbor Transmission Station.
“The disruption is necessary to enable the replacement of an old 40MVA transformer with a new 100MVA transformer, which will increase the supply capacity to the affected areas,” the company said.
The affected areas as listed by BEDC included Ihovbor, Ikpoba Hill, Benin-Agbor Road, Auchi Road, Temboga, Upper Mission, Army Signal, Igiesota, Ikhuenero village and environs, Siluko Road, New-Benin Market, psychiatric hospital, banks around Uniben, Okhoro Road, Federal Road, Upper Lawani, Uteh Village, as well as the palace and environs.
Others are Adolor, FGGC Road, Ugbowo, Ekosodin, Ishior and environs, Ekiadolor, Uselu, Oluku, Iwoya, Okhun, Utekon, Otokhore, Ora communities, Textile Mill Road, Egbor, Obanosa, and Uwelu and environs.
The disruption which was expected to last for approximately eight weeks is now in the 10th week with total blackout still the order of the day in the affected areas.
Residents, who were eagerly anticipating the restoration of electricity, now find themselves grappling with continued disruptions. Businesses are affected, and the lack of power hampers essential services, exacerbating the challenges faced by the community.
The BEDC’s failure to fulfill its commitment has prompted residents to voice their grievances, highlighting the need for transparency and accountability in the management of power distribution. Questions are being asked about the underlying issues causing the delay and the adequacy of the measures taken by the utility company to address the situation promptly.
The Nigerian Observer interacted with a number of residents in the affected areas and their responses were revealing.
Grace Oboh, a resident in Upper Lawani, lamented the aftermath of a prolonged power outage that has rendered all her stored food items inedible. The resident, grappling with the repercussion of the unforeseen situation, voiced her frustration at the impact on her household. She urged authorities to address the recurring issue to prevent such hardships for the community in the future.
Gift Osas, who runs Gifted Coldroom, found herself grappling with the disruptive consequences of persistent power outages in her area. In an interview, she expressed deep concerns about the extent of the inconvenience faced. Despite the challenges, she remained resilient, exploring alternative solutions to mitigate the effects of these disruptions on her thriving business.
Also speaking during the interview, owner of a bustling hair salon, who identified himself as Mr. Christopher, said the persistent shortage of power disrupted his operations and led to a downturn in business. Expressing concern over the impact on his salon’s clientele, he highlighted the challenges of providing quality services amid erratic power supply.
A staff of BEDC, who did not want his name mentioned, told The Nigerian Observer that the delay in restoring power was due to a technical error directly from the national level which would take extra weeks to fix.
The technical errors, according to him, often manifest as voltage fluctuations, where the electrical supply deviates from the standard levels. These fluctuations can result from issues like faulty transformers, damaged power lines, or inadequate voltage regulation mechanisms. The BEDC staff said his area of residence was also affected by the power disruption, admonishing the people of Edo State to stay calm as hands are on deck in making sure the error was rectified soon.
