Residents of Wosu Street and Rumuewhara community, all in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, has expressed worry over the the power outage in their communities. While some threatened to protest against the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED), others said they would stop paying bills until they are sure of steady electricity supply.
Some business owners in the areas lamented over the negative impacts of the black out on their businesses. Some residents commended PHED for their efforts, but urged them to be considerate as many businesses operating in the area are at loss following their dependency on electricity to strive.
One Mrs Blessing Olung, who runs a chemist at block industry junction who spoke to our correspondent said, “light is important for business. I sell pure water too, my fridge is here but I cannot sell because of no light. My fridge sometimes will smell, just like that.
Yes, sometimes NEPA used to try but not all the time, if they try today, give light, like two, three days, you will not see light like that. I pity laundry people self, because they need light more; to wash and iron clothes.”
When asked if she knows the reason for the three days black out, she said, ” I don’t know but it use to happen. Sometimes we will not see light for sometimes, then later we will see, it happens but we are managing.”
Mr Isaiah Ude, who sells food items after culvert, along Rumunduru – Rumuodara road said, “my own na to charge my phone. NEPA dey try sometimes but no be all the time, like now, we never see light, two days now, abi three days no light.
Yes, eh fit be say something spoil but I never hear like that. I believe say maybe something spoil but we dey expect light, make them try.”
On bill payment, Ude revealed that, “sometimes I dey pay N3,000, N4,000 or N3,500. We dey stay for one bedroom. We dey five tenants there. So we dey share am. Eh dey okay oooo but sometimes the money no dey to pay.”
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For a laundry man who gave his name simply as Mr. Monday, “NEPA dey punish us here I swear. Try wetin? I dey pay bill but no light. If them bring am eh no dey last. I buy fuel. Sometimes I run generator from morning to night so I can deliver. “I no go say gain no dey but you go see the gain if light dey, but nothing dey come out when we run gen.”
Reacting to what could be responsible for the black out, he said, “I no no, I no go lie but na normal thing. When we see we happy, if we no see kwanu, we take am so. Of course, I dey pay bill but eh dey pain me. Eh get places wey dey get light like say na abroad for this Rivers State. Make NEPA help us, abeg.”
A restaurant owner at Wosu street said “abeg leave me and NEPA wahala, I no wan talk. Nothing cold for my fridge. When customer buy pepper soup I dey commot go buy drink and water from another place. Me and you know say NEPA no dey try.”
Meanwhile, the management of PHED has expressed regret over the inconveniences the power outage would cause on residents and business owners in the affected areas.
In a statement during the weekend, PHED informed their customers that “the outage currently experienced in Rumuodomanya, Ref 1, Abuloma, Akani, Airport feeder 1, Rumuola, Rukpokwu, Greater PH, Rumuepirikom, NTA, and UPTH is due to the tripping of Afam/PH Line 1.
“Additionally, the Aba/Itu 132kV line tripped due to phase imbalance, affecting all feeders in Akwa Ibom State, as Ibom GT is currently out of supply.
“Hence, we appeal to our esteemed customers feeding from these sources to exercise patience, as our technical team is working tirelessly with TCN to rectify the faults and restore power as soon as work is completed.
All inconveniences are regretted.”
