NERC, PHED, Cross River laments high rate of vandalism

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) and Cross River government have condemned the high rate of electricity vandalism in Cross River State.

The stakeholders raised the concern yesterday during a forum with the theme; “Customers Complaints Resolution Meeting” organised by NERC in Cross River, Calabar.

Addressing customers’ complaints, Head of Cooperative Communication PHED, Olubukola Ilewale, said they are having challenges meeting the demands due to vandalism in the state.

She noted that most of the transformer’s issues are caused by vandalism, noting that on several occasions, the PHED had repaid transformers vandalized by criminals.

Ilewale explained that though, there are cases where transformers are genuinely spoiled and it’s the responsibility of PHED to fix them.

House of Reps Member, representing Bakassi and Calabar South, Joseph Bassey, and the Commissioner for Power Prince Etta Williams, frowned at the issue of vandalism, and excessive billing of customers.

They called for the metering of consumers in the state.

While commending NERC for coming up with such an initiative to address customers’ complaints on electricity, he said the PHED has failed in its duties in providing electricity to customers.

“Today’s meeting is a welcome development for the people in Cross River, electricity issue if address, it will help reduce the level of hardship and this will boost the economy.

“PHED has failed in various ways , they only get money from consumers and refuse to do maintenance. The issue of grading, I don’t feel good about it, everybody has the right to electricity, so why create bands to categorize where a particular area belongs.”

On his part, Prince Etta called for an end to estimated billing to customers in the state, saying it would resolve the issue of corrupt practices of excessive billing.

Earlier speaking, the NERC Commissioner, Consumers Affairs, Aisha Mamud said the meeting became necessary due to customers complaining about metering, excessive billing, and transformer vandalism.

Mamud explained that the idea behind the meeting was to educate and enlighten consumers about the electricity industry and their rights as a consumer.