Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHED, and the Nigerian Army Six Division, have expressed readiness to synergized for the provision of prepaid meters and improved electricity supply to Army barracks in the state.
This was disclosed when the Chief Executive Officer of PHED, Dr. Henry Ajagbawa, received the General Officer Commanding of Six Division, Nigerian Army Port Harcourt, Major-General Felix Agugo, at the Disco’s headoffice in Port Harcourt.
Speaking, the CEO of PHED, Dr. Henry Ajagbawa, explained that the company had to embarked on mass disconnection of defaulting customers in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers states, over electricity debt of N166 billion.
Ajagbawa, said the mass disconnection, which is codenamed “Operation Storm” was initiated by the management in order to sustain the company and indeed the power sector from imminent collapse.
He regretted that the huge debt owed the company amounting to over N166billion as at October 2019 was no longer tolerable, hence the need to recover it at all cost.
“The major issue is non-payment of bills by customers. We are been owed over N166billion in the four states of our operations. The exercise, in fairness will continue until every Kobo is recovered for energy consumed.
“Every defaulting customer in our franchise area will be visited and disconnected by the dedicated task force teams on constant patrol.
“We are going to light up Port Harcourt and every state in our catchment area within our constraint. That is why we are embarking on this mass disconnection so that those who are paying their bills can have improved power supply.”
The PHED boss assured that the company would continue to improve on service delivery to its customers, but it must be complemented through payment of electricity bills.
Also speaking, the General Officer Commanding of Six Division Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Major-General Felix Agugo, assured of the Army’s readiness to sort out debts owed PHED, to pave the way for improved power supply.
Agugo said it was disheartening that men and officers of the Army, after patrolling the creeks and the bushes to rid the state of criminal elements, would returned to the barracks with no access to electricity to make life easier for them.
“It is disheartening to see my men complain of no power supply in the barracks, after spending weeks and days combing the creeks and other difficult terrains to keep our nation safe.
“The COAS wants every barracks to be metered, if possible. So let us see how we can begin the metering of our barracks as well as improve supply to our barracks.
“We are willing to pay. If there are anything we can do to improve your (PHED) services, we are ready to assist you, because we also involved in community services,” the GOC said.
