PHED commits to staff welfare, berates campaign of calumny against mgt

The Management of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Plc (PHED) has reiterated its commitment to staff welfare and improved service to its teeming customers.

Head, Corporate Communications, PHED, Olubukola Ilevbare, who disclosed this in a statement, described as false, baseless, and malicious news making the rounds on social media against the Disco.

According to the firm, it is a calculated but failed attempt to blackmail the company and mislead members of the public.

“It is imperative to debunk this publication; though baseless, would leave the public with misleading information if the records are not set straight.

“The said publication is sponsored by some disgruntled elements and should be given no iota of attention. It is therefore not a surprise that the source of this news is a nameless blog with no form of credibility.”

Explaining further, Ilevbare, said it is a fact that the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) and the National Union of Electricity Employees (N.U.E.E), had issued a notice to picket PHED on August 12, due to unreconcilable differences bordering on some staff welfare matters.

“However, on August 14, after a fruitful meeting, a communique was issued by the Labour Unions and PHED Management.

This document contained the resolutions made after matters, including the payment of Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), and review of the conditions of service among others were agreed upon.

“It is pertinent to note that under the current leadership of Ochuko Amah, who assumed office as the Acting MD/CEO of PHED on March 8, 2024, the institution was rebooted with a five-point agenda; increased welfare package for staff, participatory leadership, stakeholder satisfaction, improvement in revenue and reduction in ATC& C losses( an industry benchmark in scoring the DISCOs ), as well as celebrating outstanding performance.

“The company’s dashboard shows that from February 2024 till date, revenue of the company has not only doubled, the collection efficiency (CE) of the Disco grew from 68per cent to 85per cent in four months, while the Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection losses (ATC &C), crashed from 43per cent to 28per cent, a feat that has never been achieved in the history of PHED.”

“Beyond all of these, the present management secured Board approval for salary increment and also went further to package a goodwill welfare programme themed: “Celebrating Our Wins”, to celebrate high-performing teams/individuals and regions on monthly basis.

“The Disco has been set on a path of steady growth, bordering on improved processes, organizational efficiency within the culture turnaround of abiding by the corporate governance ethos set by the board. It is therefore surprising that such rumours are making its rounds at a time like this.

“In view of the above, the Management of PHED, hereby urges members of the public to disregard this campaign of calumny and be rest assured that PHED is focused on serving customers better,” she added.