Aggrieved by the alleged epileptic nature of power supply in the Mile 2 and Mile 3 areas in Rivers State, Women in the early hours of Tuesday stormed the office of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company PHEDC, at Mile 1 flyover, Diobu, on a protest.
The angry protesting women marched through Dim, Wokoma, Wokoma lane, Obaziolu, Dim lane, Egbuagu, Azikiwe, Ojoto streets before heading to PHED office, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “No light, no bill.” “Dim street no light” “No light, no payment” “The Heat is too much”.
They lamented over what they described as untold hardship brought upon them by the electricity distribution company, accusing PHED of serving them with darkness instead of light.
The women lamented that they were counting losses in their businesses because of the alleged poor power supply. They also explained that their husbands were no longer touching them at night due to heat wave.
Other concerns raised were their inability to preserve cooked foods. The women complained bitterly that despite their compliance to payment of bills, there was still poor power supply in the areas.
Speaking with newsmen during the protest in front of the PHED office, one Mrs. Charity explained that “we come to tell NEPA say no light for mile 3 area; Ojuoto, Dim and Wokoma street, no light for mile 3 area.
We dey pay bill we no dey see light. Them go just flash the light but we dey pay bill every month, we no dey see light, na em make we come to tell NEPA say if we no see light, no bill this month.
“Eh dey affect us by making our soup sour. As we dey now, even our husband wan climb us no way, heat too much, no light, the thing dey worry us, no charging of phone, nothing, na candle we dey use and candle go burn another man yard because eh fit put us for trouble, we no dey enjoy light.
“Make NEPA give us light. Every week we dey throw-way soup. We dey pay bill we no dey see light. Make them give us light, if them no give us light we no go pay bill this month.”
Chairty assured that they will re-mobilize and come for another peaceful protest if the condition of power supply in the areas were not improved.
She further urged the government to come to their aid by ensuring that PHED gives steady power to the area.
As at the time the reporter left the scene, no officer of PHED at their office at Mile 1 flyover had responded to the protesting women.
