As Health Insurance Scheme Bill Passes Second Reading
THE Ekiti State House of Assembly has summoned the management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to appear before it on September 13 to explain why the people of the state have been experiencing erratic power supply, despite the exorbitant fees consumers are paying.
According to a statement by the House Speaker’s Special Assistant (Media), Stephen Gbadamosi, and made available to ReportersAtLarge, the resolution was made at plenary on Tuesday sequel to a motion under matter of urgent public importance raised by the chairman of the House Committee on Information, Honourable Olugboyega Aribisogan.
The State Health Insurance Scheme, 2016 bill also passed second reading on the floor of the House.
Aribisogan said the BEDC had made life difficult for the people of the state by failing to perform its functions as expected, adding that the company intentionally extorted its customers.
“People have demanded for prepaid meters, but BEDC has refused to give them out because its staff are enjoying the way they are imposing exorbitant bills on the people,” he noted.
Honourables Ojo Ade Fajana, Akinleye Ekundayo, Dele Fajemilehin and Sina Animasahun, who also contributed to the motion, said the BEDC was not performing to the expectations of the society, adding that the company had “failed to make life bearable for the people of Ekiti State.
“So, we will need to invite them to this honourable House to explain why the blackout and in what way they are managing the issue of power supply in Ekiti State,” they resolved.
The lawmakers added that social activities, individual homes, businesses and economic activities of Ekiti State had been bastardized, due to the failure of BEDC to do its job.
They also complained about failure of the BEDC to repair damaged transformers in the state, leaving many towns in darkness.
According to the Speaker of the House, Right Honourable (Pastor) Kola Oluwawole, “the resolution of the House is that the BEDC top management members should be invited to appear and explain themselves on September 13,” adding that electricity “in this part of the country is abysmal, epileptic and highly condemnable.”
The House also issued another summon on former Commissioner for Finance in the state, Mr Dapo Kolawole, who failed to honour the initial invitation of the House, giving him a new date of September 8.
He was said to have sent in a letter that he would not be available before the House on Tuesday (yesterday).
“An individual is not higher than an institution. This House is higher than any governor or commissioner. The former commissioner, Dapo Kolawole, has failed to honour the invitation of this House. It is, hereby, resolved that the former commissioner be re-invited for the third time to explain why he had failed to come and shed light on the statements he made on AIT,” the speaker said.
Speaking on the Health Insurance Bill, 2016, Honourables (Mrs) Cecilia Dada and Fajemilehin said the passage of the bill would help the people of the state, “especially the less-privileged, to settle their hospital bills.”
The bill was referred to the House Committee on Health for further consideration.
