NANS S’South decries poor power supply to Delta tertiary institutions

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), South-South Zone, has expressed dissatisfaction over the worsening electricity supply to tertiary institutions across Delta State.

The association said the situation has negatively affected academic activities and the welfare of students, describing the development as unacceptable.

In a letter addressed to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), the zonal coordinator of NANS South-South, Comrade Victor Ogechukwu Anthony, alleged that reports from campuses across the state indicated persistent outages and poor service delivery.

The letter, titled: ‘Urgent notice of discontent: Unacceptable epileptic power supply and fraudulent estimated billing across Delta State campuses’, was issued from the NANS Zone B Secretariat in Ogwashi-Uku.

Anthony noted that many students have been subjected to weeks of epileptic or near-zero electricity supply, yet continue to receive what he described as excessive estimated bills from the distribution company.

He described the situation as not only a service failure but also a threat to the academic and financial wellbeing of students who depend heavily on electricity for their studies and other activities.

He called for an immediate end to the practice he described as a ‘pay-for-darkness’ model, where consumers are billed for electricity not supplied.

Anthony argued that such practices contravene the service-based tariff guidelines of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

He also demanded the transparent distribution of prepaid metres to all student-populated areas, in line with the Federal Government’s initiative to provide free metres and eliminate estimated billing.

He emphasised that stable electricity supply is essential for academic excellence and campus safety, adding that prolonged outages have made studying difficult and exposed students in off-campus hostels to security risks.

While reaffirming the association’s commitment to protecting the interests of students, Anthony urged the electricity distribution company to provide a concrete plan for metering campuses and student lodges within seven working days, warning that failure to act may lead to lawful protests by the student body.