Residents of Sido Street, Odion-Urhobo community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta, on Monday protested poor electricity supply.
The protesters also expressed their displeasure over high electricity tariff charged by Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
They marched through Warri/Sapele road and disrupted human and vehicular movement for hours.
Some of the angry protesters displayed grasses, while others chanted, ‘We nor go pay oh!, NEPA People we nor pay.’
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who monitored the protest, reports that the protesters included nursing mothers, men, and youths.
They threw stones and grasses into the premises of BEDC Warri office in their efforts to get the attention of the company’s officials.
The leader of the protesters, Mr Godwin Akana, told newsmen that the increase in electricity tariff was biting harder on them.
“With the fuel scarcity now, it is difficult for us to power our generating sets.
“We no see light, we no see fuel, Nigeria jaga-jaga, when you go hustle money, pay for the light, you are suppose see the light use.
“BEDC should reduce the tariff; it is too much for us.”
Another resident, Mrs Edith Hitila decried the outrageous billing.
“For one month them bring N57, 000 light bill for eight people living in face me I face you house.
“The light no dey constant and the bill dey affect us everyday, the problem don reach almost a year plus now.
“We want make them cut the bill down, and make we dey see the light use.”
Speaking along the same vein, another resident, Mrs Oke Rita, condemned the estimated billing and urged BEDC to make prepaid metres available.
“Our NEPA bill too high, our income nor dey reach us, we nor fit pay for House rent, we dey feed from hand to mouth.
“Before na wetin metre read you dey pay, but now light no dey, metre dey read, bill dey high, make them help us bring the price down.”
Efforts by NAN to reach the Business Manager of BEDC, Warri zone, were unsuccessful as calls put across to his cell phone did not go through. (NAN)
