By Gift Chapi Odekina, Abuja
The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to intervene in the dispute between the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to restore electricity supply to Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states.
The House warned that the prolonged disruption could endanger lives, cripple essential services and worsen the economic challenges facing residents and businesses in the affected states.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Clement Jimbo, a member of the House from Akwa Ibom State.
Presenting the motion, Jimbo expressed concern that the dispute had disrupted electricity supply and forced some critical services to shut down, warning that a prolonged blackout could undermine healthcare delivery, water supply, telecommunications, banking and educational activities.
“The disruption of electricity supply over 24 hours, if sustained, poses a serious threat to public safety, socio-economic activities and the delivery of essential services across the affected states,” he said.
Jimbo warned that the outage could also disrupt medical services in hospitals, laboratories, maternity centres and emergency units, particularly facilities dependent on electricity to operate life-support equipment and preserve temperature-sensitive medical supplies.
He added that small businesses and public infrastructure reliant on regular electricity supply would suffer significant setbacks if the situation persisted.
The lawmaker also expressed concern that alternative energy sources, including solar power, might provide limited relief during the rainy season because of reduced sunlight for charging batteries.
Following the adoption of the motion by a majority of lawmakers at plenary, the House called on the Federal Government, through relevant electricity-sector authorities, to intervene and facilitate an amicable and lasting resolution between NUEE and BEDC.
The House also mandated its Committees on Power and Labour and Employment to investigate the circumstances surrounding the dispute, identify the immediate causes of the disruption and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.
It urged the union and BEDC management to resume dialogue and negotiations, stressing the need for both parties to take urgent steps to restore electricity supply to affected communities.
The lawmakers further called on relevant authorities to make alternative electricity arrangements for hospitals, emergency medical facilities and other critical public services pending the restoration of normal supply.
The House said resolving the dispute was necessary to protect public safety, sustain economic activities and prevent further disruption to essential services across the four states.
It stressed the need for a lasting solution that would address the underlying disagreements between the workers’ union and the distribution company while ensuring reliable electricity supply to affected communities.
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