Some irate Rivers youths, protesting against the alleged inability by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) to provide steady electricity at no cost to its host communities, have shutdown the Afam transmission station, causing a total blackout in Port Harcourt, the state capital, and its environs.
Reports reaching us at Greenbarge Reporters, said that the youths had mobilised themselves and barricaded the road leading to the power station, stopping the Transmission Company of Nigeria workers from accessing the facility.
One of the protesters, who gave his name simply as Kingsley, told newsmen that they were protesting against unsteady power supply in their communities.
He said that their action was prompted by the alleged disconnection of the communities from the national grid due to their failure to pay electricity bills.
The Manager, Corporate Communications of PHED, John Onyi, confirmed today, September 12 that there was disruption in the operations of the company by the protesting youths.
“The Oyibo youths barricaded the transmission station located inside Afam, the main source of power to Port Harcourt. This action has been the reason the residents are experiencing power outage.”
He said that PHED was worried over the frequent shutdown of the Afam facility by youths. He contended that the development always resulted in huge revenue losses to the company.
“They carried similar action on August 14 by shutting down the same power station, leading to total darkness in Port Harcourt.
“The shutdown at the time prompted a meeting of all the stakeholders, including the Rivers Ministry of Power, to resolve the imbroglio.”
Source: NAN.
