Electricity consumers from over 20 streets in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday staged a massive protest over prolonged power outages.
It took the intervention of the Chairman of Uvwie Local Government Council, Hon Ramson Onoyake and some members of his Executive including the Vice Chairman, Hon Henry Biyibi to prevent the protesters mainly women from affected streets from turning violent.
The surging protesters terminated at the popular Effurun roundabout leading to severe traffic gridlock.
The protesting women chanted songs and rained abuses on Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC officials for leaving consumers in darkness.
The protesting women alleged that officials of BEDC were only interested in the collection of bills and after that threw them into darkness.
The protesters vowed to block the Effurun roundabout and other major roads to press home their demands.
They expressed dissatisfaction with the behaviour of the business manager of BEDC whom the women accused of wrong utterances.
The chairman of Uvwie local government Honourable Ramson Onoyake addressed the women at Refinery junction and Effurun roundabout.
He thanked the protesters for being peaceful while the protest lasted.
The Uvwie Council chairman told them the power outages is a national emergency that is affecting many people, especially the poor.
He however promised to step into the problem and ensure that BEDC restores electricity to consumers.
The Uvwie Council chairman then fixed a meeting for Monday next week at the Council’s Secretariat at noon where BEDC officials, Council officials and affected electricity consumers would meet to resolve the prolonged power outages in the locality.
