By Isaiah Eka
Electricity consumers in Uyo have expressed concerns over the irregular power supply and issuance of bogus bills by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC).
The consumers spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo on Sunday.
Mr, Moses Eton, a landlord at No. 3, Akpan Ukpo Street, said that the area had been without electricity for three weeks now.
“As you can see, we have no light and the situation has been like this in the last three weeks.
“It is most unfortunate that PHEDC distributed estimated bills to us without considering the fact that it has not supplied us power.
“The last time we had supply, our bulbs blew up and some of our appliances got damaged because of the power surge. We have not had electricity since then,” Eton said.
Mr Kufre Akpan, who runs a barbing saloon in Ebet Aya, an outskirt of Uyo said the situation had made him to spend nearly one thousand naira daily on powering his generator.
“This is the only way I can stay in business. We are suffering in this state. See PHEDC office close to us but we don’t have light.
“The little profit that I am supposed to make is being spent on fuel to run my generator so as to meet the customers’ demand.
“We are told there is a fault in the transformer servicing the area. We appeal to PHEDC to restore electricity to this area instead of giving residents high bills for electricity not consumed.
Mr Akan Ukpong who resides in Esuene Housing Estate said that the PHEDC was not keen to render good services to consumers.
According to him, the company was more interested in exploiting consumers by increasing their bills without commensurate services.
“I wonder why the electricity company has not supplied the residents with prepaid meters to stop estimated billing; It is only in Nigeria that you are forced to pay for electricity not consumed.
“The Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) should rise up to its responsibility and check the excesses of these electricity companies across the country.”
When contacted on phone, Mr John Onyi, PHEDC’s Head, Public Relations declined comment on the situation.
