Elders of Ikot Ekpene
Local Government Area under the auspices of Ikot Ekpene Political Elders Forum
last Tuesday besieged the PHED office along Abak Road in Ikot Ekpene to
formally lodge a complaint on what it termed as lackluster and poor service
delivery by the
company.
Leader of the delegation and President of the group,Prof. Akpan Ibanga Akpan
said the elders were in the office to register their displeasure over the
abysmal performance of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution company in
the area and the high bills dished out to residents by the company.
He said they
were there on behalf of the residents who are made to sleep in darkness and
afterwards made to pay so much for the service they did not enjoy. He said the
visit by the elders was to forestall violent protest by the youths of the area.
Other elders who expressed discontent over the services of PHED and questioned
the integrity of some staff of company include the Secretary of the
group,Engr.Udo Tom Essien,ACP Anthony Akpan Rtd,Mr Matthew Akpan among
others.
Presenting the demands of electricity consumers in
Ikot Ekpene to the Business Manager PHED,Ikot Ekpene,Mr.Asuquo Ekanem
Asuquo,Elder Emmanuel Isang,Assistant Secretary of the Forum listed the demands
to include improvement/stability of electricity supplies in the area,stoppage
of estimated billings in line with National Electricity Regulatory
Commission(NERC ),provision of prepaid meters to all consumers especially those
who paid for such since February,repairs/replacement of unserviceable
transformers. Responding,PHED Business Manager,Ikot Ekpene,Mr Asuquo Ekanem Asuquo who stood
in for the Branch Manager thanked the group for the visit and for their
maturity in presenting their grievances.
He told the elders that he was barely
resuming duties in the area and promised the company will look into some of the
issues raised. He pointed out that the drop in power generation was a national
issue arising from the activities of militants and expressed optimism that once
that is addressed,production will certainly improve. The Manager said part of
the problem was with some residents who don't pay up their bills and appealed
to the elders to help in sensitizing the people on the need to pay their bills
to enable the company serve them better. According to Asuquo,high rate of
indebtedness to the company has necessitated what he referred to as
"energy management" which has to do with reduction of energy to avoid
waste. He decried a situation where most electricity consumers waste energy by
leaving their security lights in the day time as well as other unused
appliances
on.
The PHED Manager said the company has decided to provide meters to all
consumers and called for patience. For those who had already paid for
meters,such should come with their receipts to claim such. He assured the
elders that the issue of over billing will not arise even as he promised to
ensure prompt distribution of power to all parts of the area once they receive
it from the generating
company.
Elders who visited the company include Air Commodore Monday Udo Rtd,Engr
Gabriel Udoumo,Engr Maxwell Ekure,Elder Mrs Ekaette Okon John,Mrs Aniema
Robert,Elder Ephraim Aka among others.
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