By Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa
Ijaw youths have intensified their battle against the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) following poor supply of electricity by the distribution company (Disco) to the state, especially Yenagoa, the state capital.
The youths under the auspices of the Kennedy Olorogun-led Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Central Zone have been at loggerheads with PHEDC for throwing the entire state, especially the capital city, into darkness.
Following failed engagements to resolve the problem of power supply, Olorogun led the youths to shut down the office of the disco in Yenagoa and sent all the company’s workers home.
The angry youths locked the gate leading to the premises of the company just as they placed plantain stems and suckers to the entrance and used the IYC flag to barricade the area.
The youths described the PHEDC, which is in charge of the state, Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, as an irresponsible firm and called on the federal government to revoke the license issued to PHEDC, insisting that the firm was incompetent.
Olorogun said the state, especially Yenagoa, had been in darkness for as long as the existence of PHEDC in state, saying the company had made life in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, horrible.
He said PHEDC had forced many businesses to close shops in Yenagoa because of consistent darkness in the city, adding that its activities contributed to some pockets of criminal activities in the area.
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He said: “We have been engaging this company on the need to give Yenagoa some hours of electricity every day. We once gave them a 14-day ultimatum to remove all the light breakers to ensure that whenever they give light all parts of Yenagoa enjoy light. But they didn’t honour the ultimatum.
“We decided to shut down their office in Yenagoa and sack all their staff. They should go home because they have no reason to operate in Bayelsa.
“How can you say you are a Disco yet you can’t give electricity to a city where your office is located? Among the discos, PHEDC is the worst. The company is very irresponsible and incompetent. They lack the capacity to do this job and they have continued to display it.
“We will continue to barricade their office in Yenagoa until either their license is revoked or they make serious commitment to live up to their responsibilities.”
The PHEDC, Manager Corporate Communication, Mr. John Onyi, however, alleged that customers in Bayelsa owe the firm N16.5bn.
In a statement issued on behalf of PHEDC, Onyi said, “Members of PHED staff are now living in palpable fear as their lives have been threatened by the IYC who warned them not to be spotted around the offices, claiming that it has taken over PHED offices in Yenagoa.
“In addition, the IYC threatened that any vehicle belonging to PHED spotted in the city would not only be seized and impounded but have the driver of such vehicle assaulted.
“The IYC, according to its leadership, is demanding 24 hours power supply and removal of breakers to enable the residents of Yenagoa have uninterrupted power supply.
“At various meetings previously held with the IYC, PHED had made its position known that the installation of breakers was for administrative convenience of the company and also not to jeopardise the life span of the equipment.
“On 24 hours power supply, the IYC has repeatedly been told that the limitation from the national grid does not allow that for now and PHED gets its share based on what is generated. The responsibility of PHED for the umpteenth time is to distribute what it gets to its customers in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers states.”
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