Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, on Monday identified with youths and residents who staged a protest over persistent power outages and billing concerns associated with the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
The demonstrators gathered at Ring Road in Benin City, displaying placards with messages such as “We say no to BEDC oppression,” “No light, no bill,” and “Edo people say no to bulk billing.” They decried prolonged blackouts, estimated billing practices, and what they described as the exorbitant cost of prepaid meters.
Governor Okpebholo, who was reportedly driving past the area, stopped to address the protesters and expressed his support. He said he halted after noticing the crowd and learning about their grievances, adding that he stood with them as fellow youths seeking fairness.
He acknowledged that electricity challenges cut across both rural and urban communities in Edo State and appealed for calm as the government engages relevant stakeholders to find solutions. According to him, issues affecting electricity supply impact everyone — from villagers to city dwellers.
While clarifying that BEDC is privately owned and not under the direct control of the state government, the governor assured residents that efforts would be made to tackle the concerns raised. He suggested liberalising the electricity distribution sector to attract new investors and end what he described as a monopoly.
Drawing a comparison with the telecommunications industry, Okpebholo said introducing more players would provide consumers with options and improve service delivery. He further announced plans to convene a stakeholders’ meeting on Tuesday and urged the protesters to nominate five representatives to participate in discussions.
Speaking for the group, Comrade Ogbidi Emmanuel said residents were compelled to protest what he termed oppressive practices by the distribution company. He questioned the transparency of BEDC’s free meter distribution initiative and challenged the company to publicly disclose beneficiaries.
“We pay for light and they give us darkness,” he said, alleging that prepaid meters cost between ₦150,000 and ₦400,000.
The protest remained peaceful, with security personnel on ground to ensure order. The demonstrators dispersed after the governor’s address. As of press time, BEDC had yet to release an official statement in response to the claims.
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