Benin Disco Lauds Arrest ofVandals

The Benin Electricity Distribution Plc (BEDC) has commended Ovbiogie Community in Ekiadolor area of Benin, Edo State for apprehending electricity vandals.

The company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Funke Osibodu, represented by the company’s Chief State Head for Edo State Mr. Fidelis Obishai, made the commendation at the appreciation ceremony hosted by the company in Benin at the weekend.

Osibodu said vandalism and other forms of electrical thefts were serious threats to the country’s sustainability and economic growth.

According to her, vandalism impacts negatively on the company’s revenue, as funds that should have been used for electrical infrastructure projects, are being used to repair damaged installations and also replace stolen equipment.

The vigilante groups in the Ovbiogie community had assisted BEDC in apprehending two persons who vandalised two transformers in the community.

Osibodu commended the community for its vigilance over BEDC’s network, saying the fight against electricity vandals “is a collective responsibility that can only be sustained through increased partnership.”

She added that the increase in the vandalism of the company’s assets would force the company to spend money meant to improve the electricity infrastructure to repair or replace damaged and stolen installations.

“If a pole is damaged, wires are carted away and transformers are vandalized, the community remains in darkness. It behoves on all of us to ensure that these equipment are protected for our common good”, she said.

Osibodu further pointed out that electricity generated in the country was not sufficient to give 24 hours power supply to all customers, thus the current load shedding to ensure equitable distribution of power, so as to satisfy electrical needs of all classes of customers.