Iduozee Paul, BeninCorrespondent
A coalition of civil societyorganizations took to the streets yesterday to kick against move by the stateAssembly to protect the interest of the non-performing electricity DistributionCompany and further emasculate an already traumatized consumer population.
During the protest, the activists who were decked in black attires and carried placards with different inscriptions, pelted the complex named after the late nationalist, Chief Anthony Enahoro, with tomatoes and oranges.
Christened Electricity TheftOffence, the bill prescribes a special court for electricity consumers in theBenin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) who, bypass and engage in illegalconnection.
Led by Leftist Omobude Agho, the protesterswho numbered in their hundreds marched through the major streets of the EdoState capital before heading to Government House.
Just like at the House ofAssembly Complex in downtown Benin, the massive gates of Government House wereshuttered to keep out the angry protesters. Neither Speaker Kabiru Adjoto norGovernor Godwin Obaseki bothered to address the angry demonstrators.
Amidst tight security, theprotesters chanted solidarity songs, vowing to resist the bill which Omobudeinsisted was anti-people, advising Obaseki not to sign the bill into law.
Omobude insisted: “The issue of estimated billings, poorservices and provision of metres must be addressed before any other issue. Edopeople should not be seen to be doing the bidding of BEDC. This law isanti-people and must be rejected. BEDC is out to exploit Edo people and must beresisted.”
