Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) management, yesterday disclosed it has connected Oke-Irhue, an agrarian community in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State to the national grid last Sunday amidst fanfare by its inhabitants.
The distribution company (Disco) which made this known in a statement declared that the connection of Oke-Irhue to the national grid was to demonstrate BEDC’s resolve to partner communities without electricity supply in addressing their power outage challenge having fulfilled all necessary preconditions.
“We, the entire people of Oke-irhue, are happy that 15 months after the community’s general assembly worldwide took up the challenge and struggle to light up our community, God finally answered our prayers during this special season of Christmas by granting our village the opportunity to be linked with the national electricity grid on December 29, a project which has been ongoing since 2002,” Oke-Irhue Community General Assembly President General (OCGA), CP Douglas Agbonleni (retd), said.
BEDC’s powering of the community with electricity on Sunday put an end to the travail of some members of the community who, over the years, had relied solely on generator as the only source of power as they have never been connected to the national grid since inception.
This has, however, slowed down pace of development in the area despite being blessed with abundant resources even as the residents opined that the energisation will, no doubt, spur the socio-economic development of the area.