Officials and workers of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company of Nigeria would soon receive beatings and lessons of their lives following situation of the perpetual epileptic power supply in mainly the town axis of the state which according to residents has hampered businesses and comfort of individuals at home after paying exorbitant bills of over between five to eight thousand naira monthly per building without consuming the worth of it.
Residents came up with this development as an option to address the suffering of the teeming supporters since PHED officials and workers are all after the electricity bills to better their lots other than supplying power to the people.
Some of the residents who spoke to The Newswriter energy desk decried the non-availability of power supply in the areas such Old GRA, William Jumbo, Eastern by-pass, and entire town axis of the garden city, noting that non supply of power is negatively affecting businesses and decried the exorbitant rate of over eight thousand paid as monthly bills, positing that PHED has four days grace to put its house in order otherwise ready to pay the sacrifice for punishing the poor masses.
One of such aggrieved resident, Lady Equitos Bright of Borikiri who lamented the inhumane nature of the PHED officials also described the agency as heartless and desperate fellows who translated government agency into personal estate thereby making life worthless and unbearable to the populace ,said that the business owners are in support of the plans to unleash terror against PHED.
Other aggrieved residents of Marine Base estate and Eastern by-pass Jumbo Sydney and Anderson Wariboko said the action has become very necessary since PHED has not communicated to the people on any possible reason why there is continuous blackout or epileptic power supply in the city. The duo however considers selfishness, heartlessness and inexperience as reasons for the unholy act by PHED. They also wonder why the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, was denied access to the management and distribution of the states owned electricity company ,recalled that PHCN was better than PHED.
“At the Marine Base, Eastern by-pass, William Jumbo through to the old GRA axis of Port Harcourt metropolis, PHED would only supply power and suspend it under twenty minutes and may bring it back at about 3am for either an hour or two at their pace, a situation we viewed as wickedness because there is always no official statement from them”, Geoffrey Iloma observed.
Thumbing up for the proposed action plan by aggrieved residents, Mr. Geoffrey Iloma a business mogul in Rivers maintained that those doing menial business to support their family needs are always at receiving end after struggling to foot the outrageous bill manipulated by the agency.
Geoffrey also accused PHED of robbing the people of the state of their comfort, time, and finances for failing to proving not only adequate but constant power to enable or enhance business and living standard.
The most annoying part of the bundle of irresponsibility exhibited by PHED according to Mr. Geoffrey is that PHED continually bill and collect bills for services they did not render, adding that consumers are not spared for months they never enjoyed power supply.
These aggrieved residents who expressed displeasure over the situation noted that while consumers of power regularly remits their bills, it is duty of regulatory agency to regularly supply power to boasts business in the city.
Meanwhile PHED has been warned to urgently consider remedying the condition before May 4th or face bitter experience of their lives.
However efforts to have the reaction of PHED on the matter proved abortive as some of the officials met refused to either provide needed information or disclose the where about of their managers.
By James Mgboineme
