A High Court in Delta State in the Republic of Nigeria has ordered the Benin Electricity Development Company (BEDC) to pay a sum of N20million (US$48,100)as damages to the Edjemuonyavwe community in Oghara and reconnect the community to the national grid.
The community was said to have been disconnected from the national grid since November 2017.
The trial judge, Justice A. A. Ighoverio, delivering the judgment in the suit marked HCH/29/2018, and filed by the Urhobo community against the BEDC, declared the disconnection of the community from the power grid as unlawful since BEDC failed to comply with the existing electricity regulations.
Consequently, the court ordered the immediate reconnection of electricity in the claimants’ community and further ordered the defendant, BEDC, to pay to the community the sum of N20 million as general damages.
The court dismissed the counter-claim of BEDC for the payment of N174, 210,449.92 alleged to be an outstanding bill.
The agrarian community welcomed the news with jubilation.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
