Residents of Graceland Estate, Obaile, in Akure North Local Government area of Ondo state have protested outrageous electricity bills by the Office of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) in Akure.The protesters who gathered at
the entrance gate to the company, prevented the workers from gaining access to their offices.
It took intervention of soldiers on duty at the BEDC office before some staff go into their offices.
The protesters carried various placards, some of which read: “We say no to crazy (high) bills, Give us pre-paid meters, BEDC is cheating us, we are ready to pay for what we consume, among others.
The Chairman of the Graceland Estate, Mr Popoola Martins, told journalists that most of the protesters paid for pre-paid meters, which were yet to be supplied the electricity firm.
Popoola accused the BEDC of only interested in collecting electricity bills without maintaining facilities in the estate.
According to him, the protesters want the BEDC to stop every “illegality’’.
“We are responsible for buying poles, cables, conductors and even transformer. The firm’s only input is to collect money.
“BEDC gives between N70, 000 to N110,000 electricity bill per house every month. That is outrageous”