Respected Stakeholders in Eleme local government area have met with the management of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) over sundry issues bedeviling electricity supply in the area insisting that Eleme must have improved power supply with installed prepaid meters in the area.
Among the stakeholders in the meeting conveyed by the Executive Chairman of Eleme LGA, Hon. (Barr.) Philip Okparaji in his office where they met with the delegates of Electricity Distribution Company led by the Regional Manager, Mr. Blessings Egbe and the Junior Manager Mr. Promise Nwiko at the local government secretariat includes;
The Former Rector Of Ken Saro- Wiwa Polythecnic, Sir. Obianko Elechi,
President General of O-El’a Obor Eleme, Chief Isreal Abbey, Rev. Canon Abraham Onungwe, Prof. Raphael Ngochindo, Mr. Isaac Saloka, Gregory Ollor, Apostle, J. C. Winners, Friday Obari, Mr. Abel Chujor, the leadership of the Eleme Graduate Forum led by Mr. Saint Mube, Ate Chinwi, Achute Ngofa and others as well as Councill senior staff and other stakeholders.
In his remarks, the Regional Manager of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Blessing Ogbe said the management is ready to work with the LGA to ensure improved power supply in the area. Mr Ogbe noted that there has been long standing issues in the power sector including infrastructural defect, debt profile and other challenges and all that has remained a problem to the company and consumers alike.
Mr. Ogbe hailed the efforts and commitment of the Executive Chairman of Eleme LGA for constantly working with successive management in making effective their work and improving power supply in the area with provision of transformers, armoured cables, electric poles, logistics support and funding encouragement. He also lauded the Chairman for applying for the distribution of 10,000 metres for the people of Eleme and agreeing to pay certain percentage inorder to reduce the cost of the metres.
Calling on the people to meet expectations especially the payment of bills, he clarified claims that the “Free” Prepaid meters being distributed by the federal government is not totally free but a soft loan initiative headed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that will be paid overtime by consumers. He called for more interaction between the electricity operators and the leaders of Eleme LGA.
The Stakeholders who drilled the management of the electricity distribution company with questions on pressing issues including debt profile and reconciliation, infrastructural defect, company staff recruitment and other issues also vehemently rejected the claim that Eleme is in anyway indebted to the electricity operators.
The stakeholders all said prepaid meters remains the best for consumers as it eliminates the issue of estimated billing and make more transparent the business transaction between both parties.
They hailed the Executive Chairman for the initiative to canvas the people, avail subsidy for the proposed prepaid meters, the provision of Electricity facilities and availing the needed support for Electricity operators.
In the meantime the Executive Chairman of Eleme LGA, Hon. (Barr.) Philip Okparaji has stated that he is willing to do everything to ensure Eleme has constant Electricity.
Barr. Philip who maintained that the rural electrification project is a task for all Eleme people called on the people to support the initiative. He said there will be more meetings and the resolutions from all meetings will be implemented to the latter.
