Community Residents Attack Phed Staff Over High Bills

Staff of Port Harcourt
Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) and the security personnel attached to them on Friday cheated death as they were attacked while on a disconnection exercise  by some residents of Epie Community in Bayelsa State.
The attack, which was spearheaded by youths, resulted in injury to three policemen, the Business Service Manager, Pere Alazigha, a linesman, Christian Umegbewe and other staff members involved in the disconnection exercise.
Alazigha who received machete cuts on his body, and Umegbewe who was pushed down from the ladder by the youths during the disconnection process were immediately rushed to hospital for treatments.
The Head, Glory City Main Integrated Business Centre, Yenagoa, Mrs. Ngozi Manafa, said the Ford Hilux conveying staff to the venue was also damaged, leaving its windscreen shattered.
She said the Epie Community had an outstanding debt record of N60,484,304.56 and a current bill of N2,321,327.78, of  which they only paid 70,000:00 and 50,000:00 respectively.
The incidence was the second to take place within the week as two days before, disconnection team of PHED was also beaten up at Airtel Road.
Only last month, some residents of Akemfa community attacked PHED staff on collection drive with the Business Service Manager, Mr. Festus Owi taken to the bush by some angry residents, a situation that left other PHED staff running for cover. This community owes the company over N47,130,2.26.
Several other attacks have also been witnessed in Koroma in Gbarain clan of Bayelsa State, where one PHED staff was held hostage and  the hillux pick up was also damaged.
Reacting to the development, the Chief Operating Officer, PHED, Engr. Kingsley Achife, condemned the act, adding that ‘PHED will not relent in their commitment towards serving their paying customers and this we hope to achieve by ensuring that customers pay for energy consumed.’
He appealed to the public to desist from attacking staff who are willing to render quality service to them.
But a youth leader, who chose to be anonymous accused the PHED office in Yenagoa of deceit. “ when some of the transformers spoilt, residents were asked to replace them with understanding that they will not pay bills for some period”.
“As soon as we paid money to rectify any problems on transformers or even on the lines, these PHED staff will come with security men to  harass us to pay our bills without recourse to the money we spent to put their equipment in order”
A trader, Kingsley Seiyefa, who concurred what the leader said, further alleged that PHED used touts to collect bills, and it was when they decided to do away with the systems that “those their agents organised those that attacked them.
“How can we pay for transformer, its installation, and buying of cables and at  end pay a very exorbitant bill” queried another resident.
Several phones to Corporate Affair Communication Manager, Jonah Iboma to comment on the allegations of the residents were not answered.