Power Outages Stall Dev In Etche

Power blackout is
frustrating socio-economic development in various communities in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Our correspondent who visited some of the communities report that for over four months, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) which covers the area has cut off services to the area.
Chief Njoku Amaefule told The Tide Friday at Okehi that initially the impression was that power supply was cut because of the reconstruction embarked upon by the Rivers State Government on the Igwuruta/Chokocho road but that surprisingly to the people even after the project’s completion and commissioning, the blackout had persisted.
Amaefule said, “the situation has become a serious obstacle to social life in the area. It has equally affected business activities.
“I appeal to the authorities of Etche local government council to find a lasting solution to the matter because without power supply there can’t be rapid development”.
Chibuzor Oluoh, another respondent told The Tide in Mba town that the blackout has become a major challenge.
Oluoh revealed that PHED deliberately decided to starve the people of the area because of outrageous electricity bill.
“PHED officials said we must pay bills running into millions of naira for a small local community as if we have industries or companies”, he said.
Effort to get the reaction of the Corporate Communications Officer of PHED, Mr John Onyia could not yield any result as he was not in the office when our reporter visited.
However, an official of PHED who spoke said the problem of light in Etche is a serious one and revealed that the communities were expected to clear a certain percentage of the light bills but the people were yet to do so.
The official who pleaded anonymity could not explain to our reporter if non-payment of electricity bill was the reason why all communities were being subjected to blackout for about four months.

Chris Oluoh