Business
Poor Power Supply: ‘We No Longer Watch TV’
Many residents of Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, have expressed concern over their inability to watch television in their homes due to the poor power supply situation in the state.
The respondents, who spoke in separate interviews with The Tide Monday in Port Harcourt, said that the situation had made it difficult for them to keep abreast of global happenings.
A resident, Mr Joshua Ene, said that he had not tuned his television set for about 14 days due to lack of electricity.
He said the supply was so erratic that it could not last for two hours.
Ene noted that he now depends on his cell-phone for news and updates on global happenings.
He also pointed out that he has not subscribed his cable TV system for more than three months on the grounds of poor power supply.
According to him, it would be injustice for one to subscribe with N2000 without viewing it up to two times.
Another respondent, Mr Iyalla Victor, noted that he had since resolved not to reconnect his light after being disconnected for not paying his electricity bills.
He said there was no point re-connecting, since the power supply was no longer visible in parts of Port Harcourt.
Victor regretted that most weekends are now boring as children do not watch quality programmes anymore due to lack of power supply.
In some outskirts of Port Harcourt like Rukpokwu and Igwuruta, The Tide learnt that there have been power outage for about two days.
It was further learnt that many business operations have since ceased due to outright power outage.
Some of the residents also called for another power company in the state since the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) could not deliver.
Meanwhile, residents have called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the power sector in order to elevate the plight of the people.