Bayelsa blackout enters Day 10 as residents contest N16.5b debt

Our Reporter

THE power outage, which caused the face-off between Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) and Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) has entered the 10th day.

IYC, on December 23, besieged PHEDC office and forced workers to shut down operations. They occupied the premises to protest perceived poor supply to residents.

The development resulted in power outage in Yenagoa, Ahoada and some parts of Rivers State, forcing residents to rely on power generating sets.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that filling stations in Yenagoa endured long queues of people waiting hours to buy fuel in jerry cans.

Sources said efforts to resolve the conflict failed, with PHEDC saying it was owed N16.5 billion as of November.

But IYC challenged PHEDC to substantiate its claim that customers in Bayelsa owed it N16.5 billion.

Chairman of the Central Zone Kennedy Olorogun urged the government to resolve the face-off.

He described PHEDC’s debt claim as a ‘fairy tale’ to cover up incompetence.

Olorogun said information from Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) showed there was sufficient power at the substation at Gbarain, Yenagoa, but PHEDC failed to light up homes.

He said: “The N16.5 billion debt had no bearing with power supply to Bayelsa, which was the basis of the protest. The claim is cheap blackmail. The leadership of IYC (Central Zone) is challenging PHEDC’s claim that Bayelsa people owe N16.5 billion.

“The people have not been enjoying power over the years; that is the reason we are protesting. How did we get such a huge amount when we do not see power? The claim is just blackmail, we are demanding for service for which we are ready to pay; we are saying we can no longer pay for darkness and services not rendered. That is our position.

“We call on PHEDC to produce proof of its claim with documents, or be ready to face legal action by Ijaw people for defamation of character.”

PHEDC’s Corporate Communications Manager Mr John Onyi lamented that the development had taken a toll on the firm, causing hardship to customers.

He said Ahoada community also shut down PHEDC’s office in the area, leading to blackout in the town during Christmas.

Onyi said: “PHEDC workers are now living in fear as their lives have been threatened by IYC members, who warned that they should not be seen around the offices; IYC has taken over offices in Yenagoa.

“The IYC also threatened that any vehicle belonging to PHEDC, seen in the city, will be seized and impounded, and the driver assaulted. The IYC, according to its leadership, is demanding uninterrupted power supply and removal of breakers.

“At various meetings previously held with IYC, PHEDC made it known that installation of breakers was for administrative convenience of the company and not to jeopardise the life span of the equipment.

“On the 24-hour daily power supply, the IYC has repeatedly been told that limitations from the national grid does not allow that for now; PHEDC gets its share based on what is generated. The responsibility of PHEDC is to distribute what it gets to its customers in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers.

“Yenagoa is not marginalised in terms of power supply as alleged by the IYC; but it is common knowledge that every disco, including PHEDC, does systematic load shedding. The sustainability of not only PHEDC, but the power sector generally, depends on payment of bills by customers.

“PHEDC is not at war with any of its customers or the IYC, but where some people decide to take laws into their hands by chasing workers away from performing their legitimate duties calls for concern. We, therefore, call on government functionaries and security agencies to prevail on the IYC to vacate PHEDC offices.

“On the other hand, Ahoada did not only shut down our office, it also damaged office materials in addition to seizing its operational vehicles,” Onyi said.

Onyi lamented that the company was burdened by a high debt profile, saying as at November 30, 2019, electricity consumers in Bayelsa owed PHEDC about N16.5 billion, thereby hampering its operations