Mkpoikana Udoma
06 September 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — About12,640 civil servants drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Rivers State Government have benefited from Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company’s energy efficiency enlightenment programme.
PHED said it decided to take the enlightenment campaign to the civil servants on the advantages of using energy saving equipment, having already educated over 500 communities, 300 Schools and 10,000 corps members in her franchise area within the last two years,
Declaring open the enlightenment Program in the Rivers State Secretariat in Port Harcourt, the Head of Service, Rivers State Civil Service Commission, Mr. Rufus Godwin, expressed delight over the decision of PHED to educate the civil servants especially on how to manage energy efficiently.
Godwin urged all MDAs to avail themselves the opportunity offered by the programme, adding that energy efficiency management was the way to go as it is practiced globally while pledging to accord the company all the necessary support for the programme to achieve its aims.
He, however, noted with dismay the epileptic power supply being experienced all over the country.
“It is worrisome that a country of about 180 million people that prides herself as the giant of Africa is still experiencing epileptic power supply. Any country desirous of growing economically must improve its power supply which is globally regarded as a tool for industrialization.
“It is also worrisome that in the 21st century, we are still talking about 5000megawatts in Nigeria when other countries are celebrating years of uninterrupted power supply, we should wake up from our slumber.”
Also speaking the Head, Corporate Communications at PHED, Mr. John Onyi, commended the Rivers State Government for supporting the initiative through the Ministry of Information, by giving out free slots in the state-owned media to reach out to electricity users in the State.
Onyi explained that the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company was the first in Nigeria among the Discos to have introduced an energy efficiency programme in her system over two years ago.
He stated that the programme is aimed at informing and educating electricity users and customers on how to manage their energy consumption efficiently by using energy saving appliances
“It has been observed that many electricity users are in the habit of using incandescent bulbs of over 100 watts and above without checking the economic impact instead of Light Emitting Diodes, LED bulbs of 10watts that consume less.”