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By Taiwo Oluwadare
The Oyo State House of Assembly has summoned the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company(IBEDC) over its arbitrary billing system.
This followed a motion co-sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Abdulwasi Musah (Saki West) and Hon. Gbenga Oyekola (Atiba) during the plenary on Tuesday.
While reading the motion, Hon. Oyekola opined that IBEDC has constituted itself as a pebble in the shoes of socio economic development of the state on one hand and an harbinger of frustration to both corporate and private power consumers.
“The irregular power supply, billing for unused electricity, hoarding of pre-paid meters to consumers to ensure status quo of fleeing the customers’ fraudulent alliance between the IBEDC marketers and the registered electrical contractors remain a cog in the wheel of progress of the state,” the lawmaker noted.
Consequently, he called on the Assembly to invite the management of power station to appear before its next sitting to explain reasons for its lack-luster performance and how to improve its services in the state.
Similarly, Oyekola demanded that the power station should order immediate free distribution and installation of the pre-paid meters, adding that, that would discourage the marketers and their co-travellers from sucking the hapless customers to the marrow.
In another development, the Assembly also examined the committee report of the Joint Committee on Environment and Habitat and Special Duties, following the rain storm that wrecked havoc in Ogbomoso, Oyo and Ibarapa recently.
The report, presented by Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Joshua Oyebamiji (Akinyele 1), seeks to recommend as part of the recommendations of the team that inspected the affected areas caused by the rain storm that the that Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) should come to the aid of government and individual victims, by providing relief materials for them.
Equally, the Oyo State Rural Electrification Board was charged to come to the aid of the people of Maya community in Ibarapaland to replace the electric poles and cables damaged their.
The report was however thrown open to members for comments after which the speaker called for its adoption.
The Assembly then adjourned its sitting till Tuesday, April 19, 2016.