Hostilities, Lawsuits Threatening Regular Power Supply In PH

The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) is seen since early 2020 to have taken bold steps aimed at subduing its challenges including perennial revenue loss and inadequate load from the national grid. The Disco is seen to rather initiate homegrown solutions so as to boost power supply in its four states of Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River.
This is said to be to support industrialisation and economic growth which only adequate power supply can push. PHED’s new Managing Director, Henry Ajagbawa, a professional chartered accountant with a doctorate degree to his belt, had informed newsmen that the Disco has worked hard with other partners to build a sub-station at Rumosi near Port Harcourt to boost power available for distribution, something that is not its duty.
The PHED under Ajagbawa has also confronted revenue loss by hiring over 355 workers to man the transformers and contend with customers to extract PHED’s revenue through effective bill distribution, monitoring and supervision. Revenue is said to have risen first from N1.8bn per month to N2.2bn and now N2.7bn. The loss per month has reduced to about N2.5bn.
The measures that plugged various loopholes through persons within and outside were diverting revenue or even stealing power seem to have annoyed some categories of persons. Now, apparently out of frustration, some have resorted to open physical attacks on PHED technicians (linesmen) trying to disconnect erring lines while some bypass consumers have rather taken to lawsuits to restore their stealing projects.
Most citizens have hailed this push by most Discos including the PHED seen to be working hard with the Federal Government in a renewed push to bring adequate power supply to Nigerians as a key factor for industrialization and economic growth.
The power sector is relatively one of the most challenged in Nigeria. The defunct NEPA, like many government owned and managed entities, was unable to make much inroad in resolving them which led to its unbundling and the subsequent privatization of the sector. GENCOS, TCN AND DICOS make up the present power sector in Nigeria today.
Since inception, the electricity distribution companies (Discos), in collaboration with the Federal Government, have made concerted efforts to sanitize the power sector and are determined to provide adequate power supply to Nigerians as power is considered a key factor for industrialization and economic growth.
This drive is, however, being hampered in Port Harcourt by a disturbing trend of hostility ranging from outright violence against PHED workers to lawsuits. More worrisome is the fact that most of these actions are carried out by people who are caught in criminal act relating to  illegal connection, meter bypass or non payment of bills; persons that ought to be apprehended and prosecuted by law enforcement agents.
The most pervasive of these crimes is meter bypass, one that is embraced by most prepaid meter users. The very rich and elites are not left out in this act although they can well afford to pay for energy consumption. Sadly, this category of persons are conversant with the consequences of their action but still indulge in the act and would rather secure court injunctions against the company and pay their way through to evade prosecution rather than pay their bills.
The effect of this is that Discos lose a lot of money and are therefore unable to meet their obligations to the Gencos and the TCN for power generation and transmission. For instance, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Plc (PHED) loses monthly revenue of N2.5 billion to energy theft alone. This, no doubt, impairs their operations and results in inadequate power supply.
Furthermore, it also hampers the Discos ability to replace obsolete items with new ones for effective distribution of power. The cost of procurement, installation, maintenance and repairs of their infrastructure is huge and so the loss of income to energy theft significantly affects their efficiency.
Consequently, anyone, no matter the status or social standing, who encourages energy theft, either by omission or commission, should be considered an enemy of the society because their action or inaction has far-reaching effect on the Nigerian economy and the nation’s collective goodwill. It is an economic sabotage.
Violence against staff is another menace bedeviling the Discos. Staff members, in many instances, have been attacked by the public/thugs for merely carrying out their duties. A recent case in point is the one involving a former Commissioner in Bayelsa State who unleashed his thugs on PHED staff. The staff members were beaten up and are still in the hospital where they are receiving treatment. Their crime is that they tried to carry out their duties to ensure service is delivered to Nigerians.
The new trend of attacks seems to come from those who can no longer easily steal electricity like before. Some even attack or visit vindictiveness on any electricity worker living in their midst who did not want to close his eye to bypass. A PHED engineer, Magnus Uchechukwu, suffered such and was eventually framed of murder charge and was detained for almost two months in the State CID by his co-tenants.
Another big challenge confronting the Discos is incessant court cases against them by the rich and elites in society. Cases abound where they secure all manner of injunctions which all but compel the Discos to supply them free energy. The question then is, who pays for that? Should Peter be robbed to pay Paul? Also, are the Discos obliged to pander to the whims and caprices of the rich and influential? The judiciary is complicit in this regard and their action undermines the Federal Government’s resolve to fix the power sector.
Fixing power is a collective effort but could be easily undermined. As much as the Discos are expected to operate in accordance with global best practices, the public, on the other hand, is required to shun illegal and pernicious acts that are inimical to the power sector transformation. Payment of bills is, in fact, sine qua non and a duty the public owes the society.
Harassment, intimidation and oppression of PHED staff are not a way to resolving issues. Observers point to the mechanism in place for conflict resolution in the sector where aggrieved customers are encouraged to exhaust the dispute resolution window before recourse to the courts. It means well in all related issues.
Observers said there should be a clarion call for the public to partner with the Discos for improved service delivery in the power sector to foster a complementary growth in the economy. Resort to physical violence and lawsuits is not in the best interest of the public.

Chukwu, a journalist, writes from Port Harcourt.