Residents and business owners in Effurun and other parts of Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday over persistent poor electricity supply in the area.
The protesters also submitted a petition to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), calling for an investigation into the Band A metering system implemented by BEDC Electricity Plc in Uvwie.
They complained of epileptic power supply despite being placed under the Band A tariff category, which is expected to guarantee a minimum of 20 hours of electricity daily.
According to them, many consumers receive less than 10 hours of power supply but are still charged high electricity tariffs.
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The protesters, particularly those operating businesses along Refinery Stream One and nearby streets in the Ekpan area, described the situation as unfair and damaging to their livelihoods.
Speaking on behalf of affected hoteliers, the Managing Director of Lascurt Hotel, Austin Wareyai, accused BEDC of persistent overbilling and poor electricity supply.
Wareyai said the situation was severely affecting businesses in the commercial hub, warning that continued overbilling and inadequate power supply could force many businesses to shut down.
The petitioners also questioned the reliability of electricity meters and called on NERC to carry out an urgent technical inspection.
They appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Power, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and NERC to intervene and address the situation to prevent further damage to businesses in the area.
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