The business manager of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in Akwa Ibom State, Chukwuemeka Otiji, has expressed fears that the non-payment of electricity bills owed by customers in the state, currently standing at N900 million, was capable of crippling the electricity company if the debt was not paid.
Mr Otiji, who said this in Uyo yesterday, added that the amount could ground the company as it relied on such payments to run its operations since they were operating without government subvention.
Speaking with members of the customers consultative council, Uyo Business District, Mr Otiji explained that 81 out of 755 substations in the district had been vandalised since 2009 and that the management of the unit had been able to replace only 48 of the vandalised substations through help from benefiting communities.
“I’m therefore calling on you to appeal to members of your communities to pay their bills promptly,” he pleaded.
He stated that the business unit, which was formerly one, had been split among the three senatorial districts of the state to include Uyo, Eket and Ikot Ekpene. He advised the people not to build houses or do business under low or high-tension lines of the company.
“A lot of people have received injuries or have died as a result of snapped conductors either resting on their buildings or falling directly on them. We should always avoid doing anything under the PHCN lines,” he advised.
Mr Otiji decried situations where people molest PHCN staff in the course of their work, saying, “Management frowns at this barbaric act and therefore appeals to this august gathering to assist PHCN by advising youths in your respective communities to desist from such act.
“The company will not hesitate to disconnect electricity supply to any such community or area that prevents our officials from carrying out their official duties, if we realise the area is not safe for our field workers to do their work,” he said.
The newly elected chairman of the customers consultative council, Uyo Business District, Emmanuel Ebong, promised to work with the organisation’s management for smooth service delivery in the area.
Mr Ebong, who said electricity was an important national resource, enjoined members of the council to support the business unit to achieve efficiency.
By Iniabasi Imoh
No comments:
Post a Comment