BEDC Takes Electricity Safety Campaign to Ondo Schools

 

Building on its successful sensitisation campaigns in primary and secondary schools in Benin-city, the Edo State capital, Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has further demonstrated its commitment to reducing electrical accidents and tampering with electricity equipment among school children as it recently embarked on safety sensitisation campaigns in primary and secondary schools in Ondo State.

The sensitisation campaign on electrical safety and energy management is aimed at educating school children on the danger of unsafe acts like tampering with electrical installations, living and trading under high tension over-head power lines, overcrowded electrical sockets, stepping/touching electrical wires among others.

The campaign, which took place in some selected primary and secondary schools in Ondo and Owo, will be replicated in all the local government areas in the state.

Some of the pilot schools where the campaign took place were St Patrick Mega Primary School, Ondo; St Andrew Anglican Primary School, Owo, and St Louis Catholic Secondary, Ondo and Imade College, Owo, all in Ondo State.

The Head of CSR project, Mrs. Felicia Nlemoha, said: “The campaign will promote safety in the use of electricity at home, schools, road, and workplace as well as reduce the rate of electricity accidents and hazards among students.  The students will become safety ambassadors in their various homes.” 

She further stated that as part of giving back to the society, selected schools would get educational materials from BEDC which includes branded exercise books, wall clock, safety message snapper frames among other items.

In addition to the safety campaign, BEDC will also commence the creation of energy clubs called ‘Joules’ in secondary schools. The growth of Joules club will metamorphose into a debate competition among member schools. The winners of the competition will in turn become brand ambassadors of BEDC.

One of the objectives of the Joules clubs is to groom secondary students to take up careers in the electricity industry boost by the current drive by BEDC and other distribution companies (Discos) to tackle manpower gap in the power sector.