Ughelli Hotelier Cries Out, Petitions BEDC Over Allege Refusal To Connect Hotel To National Grid

**We receive petition letter, our Internal Auditors investigating the matter – BEDC Head of Communications
By Philip Onome

The Managing Director, Korax Hotel and Suite, Uduere, Agbarha-Otor Road, Mr. Felix Ukpije, has cried out, petitioning the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, over alleged refusal to connect his hotel to national grid after having been certified and approved for commissioning.

In a petition addressed to the Managing Director, Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, through the Chief Technical Officer, CTO, Benin Zone, Engr. Kingsley Atseyinku, the Korax Hotel and Suite MD, said every requirements for the commissioning have been met but yet not connected.

Ukpije said while waiting for the commissioning, BEDC customer and MD of Jetob Hotel and Suite, Hon. Efe Tobor, SSA to the Governor on Inter Party Relations, who donated his poles, conductors and others to BEDC, alleged that his hotel cannot be connected to light except he pays huge sum of money.

The petition which reads in parts, said, “The MD of Jetob Hotel and Suite, Hon. Efe Tobor, requested l must pay him huge some of money before l will be connected and till date my transformer has not been commissioned because he is insisting on the payment or l will not be connected.

“I also want to draw the attention of the misconduct of the Ughelli BHTO, who has compromised, asking me to go and settle with the MD of Jetob Hotel and Suite, Hon. Efe Tobor before l will be connected.”

Mr. Ukpije said earlier when the matter was reported to the Ughelli BHTO and the Regional Head, Warri and the Chief Technical Officer, CTO, Engr. Kingsley Atseyinku and they acted swiftly by putting off the light of Jetob Hotel and Suite, but surprised they went again to on it when the issue is yet resolved.

While expressing displeasure, Ukpije said the same BEDC heads who boasted that Jetob Hotel and Suite’s MD has no right to deprived anyone from connecting from the national grid are the same people saying he should go and settle with him before his light be conneted.

Ukpije alleged that the Chief Technical Officer, Engr. Kingsley Atseyinku, whom the petition was submitted to never acted on it, but it was looking suspicious that the RHT Warri and the Ughelli DHTO had taken side with the MD of Jetob Hotel, Hon. Efe Tobor to deny him of being connected to the national fit

When contacted the Head of Branding and Corporate Communications for BEDC Electricity Plc, Mrs. Evelyn Gbiwen, who spoke on behalf of the said they received a copy of the petition and the internal auditors already investigating the allegations against BEDC’s heads.

The Managing Director of Jetob Hotel and Suite, Hon. Efe Tobor, who was also contacted on phone on the allegations declined statement, saying he cannot speak to who he has not seen except the person come to his office or go ahead and publish.