ENERGY COMMISSIONERS HOLD STRATEGIC MEETING TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
By Debbie Funmilayo
The Honourable Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Ondo State, Engr. (Dr.) Johnson Jaiyeola Alabi, has convened a high-level strategic meeting with his counterparts from Ekiti, Delta, and Edo States—territories under the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
The engagement, which held via a conference call, focused on charting a sustainable energy future for citizens across the four states.
According to Engr. Alabi, the meeting was primarily to address issues surrounding asset delineation and the urgent need to woo investors for a total takeover and upgrade of the existing distribution infrastructure. He noted that BEDC has consistently failed to improve facilities, leaving consumers to shoulder the burden of procuring transformers, cables, poles, and other essential materials.
He further disclosed that BEDC, in its defense, claimed that all the assets in question were acquired during the privatization exercise.
However, this assertion, he emphasized, has sparked a major controversy between the Ondo State Government (ODSG), the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), and BEDC, as there was never any formal agreement on such usage, nor has BEDC provided compensation for the ongoing utilization of these assets.
Engr. Alabi stressed that BEDC has grossly underperformed in Ondo State and other affected states, showing no clear pathway towards economic growth through reliable electricity supply. “If BEDC is allowed to continue in this trajectory, the power situation will remain stagnant, to the detriment of our citizens and economies,” he warned.
The immediate past Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utility in Ekiti State, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, also lamented BEDC’s inefficiency, particularly its failure to resolve transmission bottlenecks.
He underscored the urgent need for fresh power injection into the states, adding that the current BEDC–national grid structure cannot sustainably support long-term development.
Prof. Aluko further advocated for a comprehensive review of BEDC’s financial standing to enable the states to identify strategic opportunities for investor-driven interventions.
At the end of deliberations, the Commissioners reached a consensus on the following key resolutions:
Each state must obtain a detailed financial position of BEDC, as transparency is critical to their role as equity stakeholders.
A joint letter would be drafted and addressed to BEDC, formally communicating their position.
All states are to thoroughly review the asset delineation exercise conducted by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to confirm alignment with the asset lists previously submitted by states detailing all networks deployed directly by the state government within their geographical boundaries.
Other Commissioners in attendance were Hon. Washington Osa-Osifo, Ph.D (Edo State), and Hon. Sunday Tataobuzogwu (Delta State).
