Nigeria: Youth protest Delta power outage and rising insecurity at Government House
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
On Thursday, youth from Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area, Delta State, staged a protest at the entrance of the Delta State Government House in Asaba. The protesters were demanding action against the ongoing power outage and the increasing insecurity in their community, which they attributed to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
The protestors, who marched through major roads in the state capital carrying placards, expressed frustration over the prolonged blackout, which they said had created an environment conducive to crime, including kidnappings and violence. The youths also criticized BEDC for imposing high estimated electricity bills that did not reflect actual consumption.
In a letter addressed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, the Okpanam Youth Organization highlighted the devastating effects of the blackout, including economic stagnation and job losses due to the inability of small businesses to operate without electricity. The letter further stated that the lack of electricity had left their streets vulnerable to criminal activity, as essential security systems dependent on power were rendered ineffective.
The protesters called on the governor to intervene, considering BEDC’s failure to restore power as a direct threat to public safety. In response, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Johnson Erijo, assured the youths that the state government was already addressing the issue and was in the process of implementing a legislative framework to improve the state’s power supply.
