Delta State Governor, and Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has berated the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC for perceived poor supply of electricity to consumers in the state.
Governor Okowa expressed his displeasure over the situation at the official opening of Lumen Christi College, Maryhill, Owanta, Ika North East Local Government Area of the state on Thursday.
He complained that even when residents and communities procured transformers and handed over to BEDC, “they will still charge them to energise it”.
According to the governor, sometimes you install a transformer, the distribution company will ask you to come and pay even when you are handing over that transformer to them.
Okowa regretted that “even when you are ready to pay, they will delay you for six months, and even for one year. It’s frustrating.
“Sometimes when we try to help communities, it is difficult because of BEDC’s delay.
“Even, when the transformers are energised and handed back to the distribution company, to get them to energise it, it will look like you are begging them to do so; it ought not to be so”.
He commended Rev. Fr. Mario David Dibie, the Proprietor of the school, for his philanthropy and care for the poor and vulnerable in the society.
“While men are busy pushing after fame and ego, here is a man with God’s grace thinking about the very lowly in the society.
“It is a lesson and a story that should change our lives because when you see the life of a man like Fr. Dibie, every part of his story tells about his desire to assist the less-privileged.
“If we have more of him, Nigeria would be a better place. He is beginning to build a crop of young ones that will grow up to become responsible adults.
“It is not about the beauty and ambience of your school, but the character you come out with from here will pave way for you in the future”.
The PDP vice presidential candidate noted that “Due to the suffering in our nation, things are getting so bad and people are afflicted from the inside because of hardship. People are resorting to kidnapping and banditry because of hardship, and it is a time for collective prayer for our nation.
“On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I congratulate and rejoice with Fr. Dibie for this great feat because he is building a great society for Nigeria by helping to train our children. “.
Welcoming guests earlier, Fr. Dibia said he was always guided by the Biblical injunction to consider the poor in his dealings.
He disclosed that he had a Covenant with God that 20 percent of whatever he got would be for his maintenance while 80 percent would go to the poor.