By Onome Oghenetega
The management of Lascurt International Hotel, one of the major hotels in Delta State, has appealed to the authorities of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to install power in the hotel after some of officials of the firm failed to connect the facility to the national grid.
While also appealing to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the National Assembly for intervention, it lamented that management had spent over N11 million already without power being connected to the facilities.
The management alleged that it was being charged additional N40 million aside the over eleven million naira it had already spent before the facility could be connected to public power.
Managing Director of Lascurt International Hotel, Mr. Austin Wareyai, made the appeal during a chat with journalists at the hotel premises along the popular Ekpan/NPA Expressway by Niger Cat Junction in Ekpan, Effurun, Delta State.
Wareyai said Lascurt Hotel with underground lounge bar and club house has been running on generating plants since October 31, 2021 when it officially opened for business to the public.
He stated that the hotel with over 100 staff in its employment list with more to be employed is facing threat of being shut down due to the electricity issue, saying the development is not good for indigenes of the state and others who are coming to Delta to invest.
He said management prior to the hotel opening, applied to the management of BEDC PLC to connect the facility to 33KVA which was approved and necessary payments running into over N8million were made but to his surprise he was given 11KVA transformer.
Narrating his ordeal, Wareyai stated, “We applied for 33KVA because that is the line that produced stable electricity and which other business outlets in this area are using. They told us that since our facility is a mega one, we should go for a 500KVA transformer that is the only way it can work.
“We applied for 500KVA, bought the transformer and also provided all the logistics. Instead of the 33/500KVA, they brought 11/500KVA, we told them that what we bargained for was 33/500KVA and paid for it. They said this is what they approved for us.
“In our own wisdom, we asked for the way forward and they said we have to increase the transformer and reapply for NEMSA approval. They brought another cost of about N18 million to buy One MVA transformer including construction and every other thing.
“We applied for it since that is what will make us have stable electricity to do our business. Having secured the NEMSA’s approval, for them to install the One MVA transformer now, they said we should pay a sum of about N8.9 million as an additional security deposit.
“They said that we have to pay the money so that whenever we default in our monthly payment, they will use part of the money to offset the bill. Aside from that, they are also asking for about N4 million for an industrial meter. Where can we get all this money after all they have collected from us?
“In summary, we have spent over N11 million so far on a transformer. Now they are asking us to pay an additional N18 million for another transformer including construction. This is aside from the N8.9 million for two months security deposit they are asking for.”
Wareyai, flanked by top management staff of the hotel, called on Governor Okowa, MD BEDC and members of the National Assembly to intervene in the issues to save the multi-billionaire facility from going out of business.
“Imagine in the last three months we have been running our facilities with generating plant. Imagine the cost implications of buying diesel. We are appealing to the state government to help us to sustain this business because we cannot run it without electricity,” the hotelier stated.
When contacted, BEDC Public Relations Officer (PRO) in Effurun, Helen Ogagare, said she had informed management of the allegations.
