Angry youths from the Okpanam community in the Oshimili North Local Government Area on Wednesday barricaded the entrance to the Delta State Government House in Asaba on Wednesday, protesting prolonged power outages and alleged exploitation by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).

The demonstrators carried placards with messages such as ?BEDC, Stop Ridiculing Us?We Pay Bills, Give Us Light!?, ?We Say No to BEDC Supply Plan to Okpanam!?, ?Stop the Exploitation!? and ?We Are in Capital Territory but Live as Slaves, Please Help Us!?

President General of the Okpanam Youth Organization, Mr. Lucky Okolo, linked the worsening state of insecurity and rising crime in the community to the persistent lack of electricity.

He accused BEDC of deliberately withholding power, slamming residents with inflated estimated bills, and neglecting to upgrade or invest in the community?s electricity infrastructure.

The protesters Issued a list of demands, including a full investigation into BEDC?s operations in Okpanam, restoration of steady power supply within seven days, transparent billing systems, mass deployment of prepaid meters, the creation of a joint oversight task force, and the installation of adequate transformers.

Addressing the protesters, Chief of Staff to the Delta State Governor, Mr. Johnson Erijo, commended the peaceful nature of the protest and assured the group that their grievances had been noted and were being taken seriously by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori?s administration.

He said, ?We appreciate you coming forward peacefully to raise these concerns. From your placards and your letter, it?s clear that you are not just angry?you are informed, organized, and determined. And this government shares in your pain.?

He admitted that the blackout had created serious security risks, including increased criminal activity, and confirmed that the lack of street lighting was contributing to a surge in kidnapping and violence across Okpanam.

He also praised the community for offering to partner with the government in tackling insecurity.

Erijo said the state is on the verge of finalizing a legislative framework to enable energy sector reform, taking advantage of the recent liberalization of the power sector under President Bola Tinubu.

He added that once implemented, the new framework would attract independent investors and end the monopoly of inefficient distribution companies.

?Even here in Government House, we face the same issues?you?re not alone. But your Governor is proactive. We?re almost at the final stage of enabling a framework that will allow for sustainable and accountable energy solutions across the state.? (The Nation)

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