Mkpoikana Udoma
06 May 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — Worried by the huge outstanding debt of over N121billion by customers, the management of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHED, has engaged the services of an accredited agent to assist in debt recovery drive in three out of four states under its coverage.
The company said the agent would recover the outstanding debt owed the company for the last six months backwards from customers in Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers States, with exception of Bayelsa state, which already has an agent.
A statement by PHED’s Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr. John Onyi, said the decision by the company to appoint an agent was aimed at bringing the company out of its present financial state to meet its statutory obligations and also towards profit making.
Onyi explained that the agent is to recover the debt owed by residential customers, he is not to collect bills but to direct customers to the company’s payment channels.
He urged customers with electricity-related issues to visit the nearest PHED office for prompt resolution before the arrival of the agent at their premises.
According to the statement, “An accredited agent has been appointed by PHED, solely to recover debt from three states of its coverage area namely; Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers States.
“The agent is saddled with the responsibility of going after Residential (Non-MD), indebted customers who have not made any payment to the company in the last six months.
“While the Agent would organize its team as it deems appropriate to carry out the payment enforcement activities, the debt recovery team has not been authorized to collect money (electricity bills) from customers but shall rather direct the customers to the different PHED payment channels, such as payment point at PHED offices, banks and accredited pay outlets for the payment of their outstanding bills.
“All staff and indeed members of the public, especially electricity users should accord the newly appointed team the necessary support to get the job done and achieve sustainability of the company,” Onyi said in the statement said.
