Customers of one of the Distribution Companies (DISCOs), Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) said the majority of electricity consumers in Delta state are groaning under the estimated billing system with its attendant high corporate fraud on the part of Benin Electricity Distribution Company.
One of the customers, (name withheld), who described BEDC services in the State as poor, said customers with BEDC have been thrown into sorrows, tears and pain over the harsh situation and alleged exploitation they are subjected to for weeks.
Speaking on Thursday June 15th 2023, when The Story, visited the Ezenei Office, the customer, said he bought the first electricity token, and when he was unable to load the card, he bought the second one, thinking the lady from where he bought the card may have made mistake in the 40-digit number.
And when it was impossible for him to load the second card, the customer immediately placed a call to senior officials of the company, both at Benin and Asaba, those he felt could give him information of what was wrong, and proffer solution to the issue.
The customer said all efforts were fruitless as the ugly development lingered for days, after which, he was given the #006# number to enter into the metre, to enable the metre display the needed digits, to enable them at the BEDC generate the 40-digit code, that would help the customer to recharge the metre.
The customer disclosed that even the customer care representative at the Benin head office with GSM number: 08138161819 was so ignorant and unmindful of his plight and even resorted to trading of words with the customer when the customer became so uncomfortable and scared that he may remain in darkness for no fault of his.
He said he visited Ezenei office in Asaba the following day as early as 8:15am, they were not attending to any customer, on the grounds that they were going for meeting at the head office at Anwai road in Asaba.
He said after spending time with other customers with similar complaints, he left for other activities, and returned at the Ezenei office at about 10:37am, yet, they were not still back from the head office meeting, even when multitude of people were still in darkness, stranded, and patiently waiting for their return.
He equally said he thought of reporting at the police SCID and the Divisional level, and then, by-pass the metre and wait for the consequences, since he couldn’t remain in darkness.
According to him, he went to the Anwai road office, they referred him back to Ezenei office.
A BEDC staff at the head office asked him to ensure he takes photograph of the metre, so they could see the numbers the metre displayed, that Osakwe said was not possible, because there was no light.
The BEDC customer said after much frustration and spending his days in darkness, what appears to be impossible for the entire company/customer care representatives to handle, even with difficult procedures was handled, with the 40 digit code which was unavailable was generated by a friend with his laptop within 52 seconds, after he allegedly paid the sum of N10, 000.
An other customer who spoke on anonymity said for the past three days he has been burning fuel, since he couldn’t by-pass the metre.
Others were seen moving to and fro, yet unable to get the expected 40-digit code, to enable them recharge their metre.
BEDC officials were also seen giving preference to customers at the office, making another customer to express anger, saying he actually came before the one that was attended to while he stands outside by the window pleading for attention.
Also, a landlord who came with exorbitant billing ranging between N30 to over N50, 000 for the months of April, March and May, left frustrated.
Text message sent to the Public Affairs person, Mrs. Esther Okolie, was not replied while calls were bounced.
