Members of the community at the House of Rep
By Constance Athekame
The people of Odoro Ikot has dragged the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) before the Committee on Public Petitions of House of Representatives for unlawfully disconnecting 17 communities in Odoro Ikot Clan of Essien Udim Local Government of Akwa Ibom State from electricity supply since since 2019.
The community representatives were led to the Investigative hearing by the Chairman, Odoro Ikot Development Association, Abuja Chapter, Sir Uwem Useh.
The Chairman claimed that PHEDC unlawfully billed them in violation of capping for estimated billing for un-metered non MD Customers which resulted to debt of N500 million and disconnected the light of 17 communities for nearly 7 years.
”While making presentation on the issue before the Committee during the hearing on the issue July 1, Chief Princewill Okorie, the Consultant for Odoro Ikot Community Development Association stated that the fact of the matter is that staff of PHEDC on Nov 9th , 2019 disconnected electricity supply to the 17 communities in Odoro Ikot clan with the claim that the communities are owing the company the N500 million.
” An action that violates regulations of Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission.
”In the statement of reply which the consultant presented to the committee during the hearing, he made prayers as follows; Direct that the unjustified debt of N50 million which made PHEDC to disconnect electricity supply to the 17 communities in Odoro Ikot clan be jettisoned and electricity supply restored in the communities with immediate effect.
”Direct NERC to enforce De- bulking policy in Odoro Ikot clan to avoid abuse of regulatory policy by PHEDC.
”Direct that PHEDC be penalised for disconnecting the communities in Odoro Ikot clan without complying with disconnection policy of giving written disconnection notice to customers 10 days before disconnection.
Okorie said that the Electricity Act 2023 offence of false declaration be applied in dealing with PHEDC in this matter because the company deceitfully made claim of being owed N50 million without obeying capping methodology approved by NERC for unmetered non- M D customers.
He said that PHEDC should be directed to install meters on transformers as well as provide meters for individual households to enhance transparency and accountability in their operation in Odoro Ikot clan.
According to him, PHEDC be investigated on the use of approved N69,879,894 capital expenditure and incurred N28,523,683 between 2014 and 2023 without executing any capital project in Odoro Ikot clan?
The consultant concluded his reply by thanking the committee for hearing the matter and requested their prayers be granted to save the people of Odoro Ikot clan from the torture inflicted on them by PHEDC since 2019 thereby restoring economic and social activities that will enhance the development of the communities.
” In a way to put an end to the issue , Rep Wogu Matthew, Chairman of Public Petitions Committee who presided over the case asked the PHEDC to immediately reconnect the seventeen communities back within a week, while the representative of PHEDC requested for at least N5,000,000 down payments to fast track the process.
The hearing is re-scheduled for 31st July, 2025.