Former Commissioner of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Hon. Damiete Miller, has called on the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHED to ensure regular power supply to residents of the city.
Miller, said in a chat with news correspondents in Port Harcourt that, “the PHED should ensure steady power supply in Port Harcourt this period, so as to enable residents stay at home, as directed by the state government due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports that the general manager of PHED had earlier promised improved power supply to residents, during this lockdown period.
Prior to this, there have been complaints by electricity consumers over what they term ‘epileptic power supply’, coupled with outrageous electricity tariffs. Few weeks ago, some residents of Diobu embarked on a peaceful protest calling on PHED to improve power supply in the area.
In a chat with some residents of Akokwa street, Mile 1 Diobu on the issue, a hair stylist Nnanna Ajaero, who owns a hair salon in the area said that, power supply is nothing to write home about in the area. “It is a shame that a country like Nigeria cannot boast of five-hour power supply in a day. I hardly make income these days due to the amount I spend on fuel, on a daily basis”.
“The government should better address this issue, as lack of steady power supply is crumbling small businesses like mine. He said.
Another resident, a betting agent who pleaded anonymity said “I no dey like to talk about Nigeria wahala, cos e dey pain me well well. Imagine! We dey pay big money for bills and we no dey even see light. D tin dey make me vex”. He stated
Few days ago, staff of the Electricity Distribution Company were seen cutting off power supply from the homes of some residents in PH owing to non-payment of electricity bills. In turn, electricity consumers in the area were seen yelling at the PHED staff.
