42- year old man electrocuted to death in Ughelli

An electrician working with the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC as volunteer was on Friday May 12 electrocuted to death, Our Bomadi Correspondent reports.

The victim, Kurokeme Awudu, an indigene of Kpakiama community in Bomadi local government area met his untimely death while working on a high tension line at Agadama community in Ughelli North local government area of Delta State.

According to an eye witness, Kurokeme Awudu was seen working on the high tension cable with a view to restoring electricity to Bomadi and its environs, which had been thrown into darkness for months when the unfortunate incident occurred.

It was gathered that the late Awudu was returning from BEDC office at Ughelli where he had gone to work when he noticed that Ohoro and Agadama communities feeding from the same transmission line had electricity but did not get to Bomadi.

He reportedly disembarked at Agadama where the company has a breaker point and it was in an effort to close the isolator that he fell off after being electrocuted and died few hours later at the Bomadi General Hospital where he was rushed to for medical attention.

The Business Manager in-charge of Ughelli District, Mr. F.E. Ihaza when contacted on the incident via mobile phone expressed shock and described the death as unfortunate.

Mr. Ihaza while noting that the victim who is a father of 3 children said “volunteers have limits with specific job description according to their level of training”.

Meanwhile the death of late Kurokeme Awudu has sparked off reactions from residents of Kpakiama, his home town and its environs, particularly the youths over the questionable manner in which power is supplied to the Bomadi area.

The apparently angry youths who spoke to Our Correspondent demanded to know why Ohoro and Agadama communities feeding from the same transmission line would be supplied electricity leaving the Bomadi axis in perpetual darkness for months. “We are aware that Kurokeme died while trying to connect the Bomadi axis. We are also aware that the Bomadi local government council in a bulk payment plan promptly pays up the light bills. Yet, there is no commensurate supply to the bills paid. They keep cutting us off. Are those villages more entitled to electricity than us? This must stop without further delay. They must treat us as human beings,” the youths stated furiously.

They therefore called on the state government and the local authorities to wade into the non supply of electricity to Bomadi and its environs and to prevail on BEDC as matter of urgent public interest to restore normal supply of electricity to the area.

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