After living without power supply for two years, Light has finally come to the residents of 16 communities in Oyigbo Local Government Area, River State. In this report, residents share their experience over the past years to return power to their communities.
For the past two years, residents of 16 communities in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State have been living in darkness. The 33 KVA transmission line that was supplying electricity to the communities was vandalized by hoodlums following the disagreement between Port Harcourt Distribution Company (PHED) and residents of the affected communities over issues concerning payment of electricity bills.
The gigantic Afam Power Station is located in Ayama, one of the 16 communities affected by the prolonged power outage. Residents of the affected communities had argued that since the power station is located in their area and they bear the burnt of its environmental hazards, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company should exempt them from payment of electricity bills.
The refusal of PHED to yield to the demand of the communities infuriated the youths of the area who barricaded and picketed the offices of PHED in the area. Following the altercation, the 33 kva distribution lines that supplied electricity to the communities were vandalized by hoodlums, a development that threw the entire area into prolonged darkness.
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The affected residents had decried the two years of blackout despite repeated appeals for government’s intervention.
The affected communities had earlier threatened to boycott the just concluded general election if nothing was done urgently to reverse the situation.
Two weeks to the election, the affected communities issued a seven-day ultimatum to the relevant authorities to restore power to the area.
One of the residents who was involved in the ultimatum issued to government, Emeka Ugoh, said the affected residents had earlier made up their mind to boycott the election if electricity was not restored in the area.
He stated that while the state governor, Nyesom Wike, was doing well across the state, he had turned a deaf ear to their plight.
However, the joy of the residents of the affected communities knew no bounds when the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED) on Monday 20th, March 2023, commissioned the rehabilitated injection substation in Kom Kom community in Oyigbo Local Government Area in an effort to restore power supply to the area after two years of blackout.
The Chief Executive Officer of the electricity distribution company, Dr Benson Uwheru, during the commissioning of the project, expressed satisfaction with the success of the rehabilitation programme as he commended the PHED management for working assiduously to ensure that power supply was restored to Kom Kom community.
The CEO, represented by the PHED regional head Beta two, Engineer Kenneth Idemudia, in his speech noted that the electricity power re-supply programme in Kom Kom was embarked on due to the yearning of its customers over the years.
He said “It is our pleasure to have this community return to our network again because we understand the yearning of our customers in this community. It is for this reason that PHED solely decided to fund this project and ensure that power supply is restored to our very esteemed customers in Komkom.
“However, I must confess that it has not been an easy journey, but we were resolute about achieving this feat, and I am happy that we are all here to witness this ceremony today.
“I recall that we have had several conversations and engagements with representatives of this community before now, and we have been encouraged by their willingness and commitment to support PHED and collaborate with us to ensure that we do not go back to the era we are about to leave behind now.”
The commissioning ceremony, which had in attendance chairman of Oyigbo Local Government Area, the House of Representatives member representing Eleme/Tai/Oyigbo, as well as other critical stakeholders, they commended the PHED team over the job done just as they promised to continue to work in synergy with PHED in Oyigbo.
Speaking on behalf of the Oyigbo council chairman, Okechukwu Akara Nwaogu, a critical stakeholder Chimereze Nworgu pleaded that the relationship between the community should be sustained for industrialisation to take place in the area.
“There can never be any form of industrialisation if there is no electricity power supply, so I am appealing that this relationship we have decided to renew should be sustained by truth because only truth can sustain a relationship. I am happy that my people can boast of power courtesy of your efforts. We say thank you.”
Member of the House of Representatives, representing Eleme/Tai/Oyigbo, Chisom Dike, who was represented by Acho Elechi also commended the intervention of the PHED because the blackout has had negative effects on business activities in the area.
On his part Palace Secretary of Oyigbo Traditional Council, Chief Precious Enweruka, said it was time to move on from the past and embrace the positives that come with the future, adding that they are ready to work in peace and harmony with the company.
Some of the residents who spoke with our reporter expressed joy that the vandalized electricity has been restored.
A resident of Kom Kom community, Peter Ossia, commended the member of House of Representative representing Tai/Eleme/Oyigbo federal constituency for the role he played in restoring electricity in the communities.
“I want to commend the House member for the role he played in restoring the light. He initiated the process of what we are seeing today. I am very happy that we have electricity at last,” he said.
A resident of Oyigbo, Ndubuisi Nwaosu, expressed optimism that residents of Oyigbo will soon have light.
“We are happy that light will come to our area, although we are yet to see the light because there are other internal connections we have to do before light will finally come. All the feeder pillars connected our area as well as the cables were vandalized by hoodlums. All the landlords contributed N3,000 for the reconnection. We have completed the replacement of the vandalized cable lines and feeder pillars so we are waiting for the PHED to connect us to the refurbished lines,” he said.
Another resident, Akpan James, said most residents of Oyigbo urban and Kom kom community affected by the blackout packed out of the area because of the prolonged power outage.
“Many people packed out from this area because of the power outage. We stayed two years without light. We relied on generator sets and spent so much money in fuelling the generators. I spent about N350,000 on fuel in the last two years because every day, I spend N500 in buying fuel. It was a very unfortunate experience,” he said.
Another resident, John Dubem, said the prolonged power outage paralyzed business activities in the area.
“Many small-scale businesses were affected by the prolonged power outage. Residents who rely on electricity to do their businesses such the barbing salon, tailoring, bars, restaurants, hospitals, eateries, closed shop. Those who survived the electricity challenge spent so much in fuelling their generator sets. Those who could not closed shop. But, I thank God that the matter has been resolved and in the shortest possible time, we are going to have our electricity back,” he said.
