CDHR Seeks Speedy Resolution of BEDC, BPE, NERC Dispute

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has urged the judiciary to speed up resolution on the crisis between the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

National President of CDHR, Kehinde Taiga, who made the appeal over the weekend in Warri, urged the relevant authorities to respect court injunction in favor of current incumbent BEDC Board to save the people of Delta State from the epileptic power supply currently being experienced in parts of the state.
BEDC is in charge of distribution of electricity to Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states as it’s catchment areas.

Taiga lamented that investigations by the human rights group revealed that the masses were suffering from the ongoing dispute on BEDC.
The BPE and NERC recently announced the dissolution of the Board of Directors of BEDC and had appointed new board members.
However, a federal high court sitting in Abuja, on July 8th 2022, had ordered a status quo ante be maintained on the matter since the court granted a motion of ex parte filled by the owners.

Hon justice Emeka Nwite of the federal high court in the ruling, a copy made available to THISDAY, had granted interim injunction restraining the defendants, including BPE and NERC from altering the board composition of BEDC or allowing other persons to parade themselves as directors of the company or work in concert with any person or party to alter the board composition, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
Responding to a question, the President of CDHR alleged that BPE and NERC failed to follow due process before using it’s stick on the board of BEDC and submitted that the raging dispute between the two parties had resulted in putting the masses of electricity consumers in the four southern states into untold hardship.
“The BEDC managing director, Mrs Funke Osibodu should be allowed to continue her constitutional duties as MD until the court determines the matter at stake,” he added.