Delta: DSC steel town in darkness 16years after successive govt - Group declares

A group under the auspices of Initiative For Social Rights Concerns and Advancement (ISRCA) AKA “No Justice, No Peace” today said Delta Steel Township, a residential area for staff members of the former Delta Steel Company, DSC has been perpetual darkness for the past sixteen (16) years. 

This is contained in a statement signed by ISRCA National Coordinator, Comrade (Amb) Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen.

The group said aid residents saw light in the last sixteen years stressing the power outage had crippled many businesses in the area.

According to the group, "It was alleged by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) that residents have accrued a contentious and unrealistic power consumption debt of N180 million, resulting from accumulated bills, despite prolonged periods of darkness."

The group added that, "It was later alleged that between 2011 and 2013, officials of PHCN, in collaboration with the Steel Town, established a committee authorized to collect and remit electricity bills, with a total sum of N700 million paid to PHCN until BEDC took over and presented an unrealistic figure, resulting from corrupt practices by the committee within the community, which failed to remit all collected funds to the company."

The group also said that despite numerous peaceful protests by residents, the federal government and all relevant authorities turned the blind eyes from the area. 

"What should I say, given that two successive administrations under the Delta State Government, namely Gov Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan and Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa successfully completed their two terms as governors? Notably, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan previously worked as a doctor at the Steel Company and resided in the Steel township, which would have led one to expect his administration to prioritize its challenges.

"Unfortunately, the plight of residents at the Delta Steel Company Steel Township has recently become a tool for campaign promises, where politicians under its constituency use its situation as their manifesto, promising to restore power if voted for, yet failing to fulfill their promises."

The group lambasted the member representing the people of Ughelli North/Ughelli South & Udu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, RT. Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive and the member representing the people of Udu in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Egbetamah Ovie Collins for failing to fulfill their campaign promises to restore power to residents of the DSC Steel Town after he allegedly incorporated their plight into his manifesto during his first and second tenure electioneering campaigns to the area. 

The group said, "Following his numerous efforts to illuminate the area, one cannot help but wonder why his promises remain unfulfilled."

The group had instead remained in darkness after the many campaign promises. 

The further appealed to the federal lawmaker, RT.Hon. Waive and other political leaders in the area to review and fulfil the campaign promises they made to residents of the area in their constituencies. 

He also urged the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori to provide assistance to residents in the Delta State Steel Township by restoring power. 

'As the provision of electricity is a fundamental human right for all Nigerians, efforts should be intensified to achieve this, even if not constant."