Consumer drags Bedc to court over disconnection of meters

By Gabriel Enogholase

BENIN—AN electricity consumer in Benin, Edo State,  Mr. Portly Giwa – Osagie, has instituted a suit against Benin Electricity Distribution Company Limited, BEDC, for allegedly disconnecting four pre- paid meters in his  house.

Joined in the suit as defendants are the Business Manager, BEDC, GRA, (Benin- City Sub-Office), Manager, Customers Service, Auditor, BEDC headquarters and three others.

In the suit before an Oredo Magistrate’s Court in Benin, the plaintiff wants the court to declare that the BEDC is a monopoly in the provision or distribution of electricity in Edo State and provider of essential services to the plaintiff and his tenants.

“A declaration that the defendants are liable to pay damages to the plaintiff for the four metres which they unlawfully disconnected from the plaintiff’s premises, in the circumstances of this case.

“An order for the defendants to restore power to the plaintiff’s house at No. 19, Ugiayugbo Street, and to pay the penalty per day for failure to do so for each metre from the 22/11/2016 till they are reconnected.”

The plaintiff also wants the defendants to pay him the sum of N644,000 at N1,000 per day as special damages for each metre as penalty per day until they are reconnected.

He wants the defendants to pay him general damages of N9.356 million for unlawful disconnection even while NERC hearing were on, the defendants went into the premises to disconnect, went to Police and did other things to further harass the plaintiff, thus bringing the total damages to N10 million.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

 

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