Residents of Bori, the headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, are groaning under the weight of a three-week power outage. The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PheD) has refused to restore power to the area, leaving residents in darkness and frustration.
The situation has become increasingly dire, with many residents struggling to carry out their daily activities, including, illumination, security, communication, education, business, transportation, recreation, food preparation and storage, safety and emergency services, agriculture, and even accessing basic necessities like water and healthcare.
The situation has sparked widespread anger and discontent among residents, who are demanding answers from PheD officials. According to them, the power outage has not only disrupted their daily lives but has also affected businesses and economic activities in the area. Many business owners have reported significant losses due to the power outage, which has forced them to close their shops and stalls. The situation has also led to an increase in crime, as the darkness has provided a cover for criminals to operate.
Mr. Naakuu Barine, a resident of Kenule Street, Bori, lamented the situation, saying, “We have been in darkness for three weeks now, and PheD has not given us any explanation. We are tired of living in darkness. We need light to carry out our daily activities.
Our children are struggling to study, and our businesses are suffering. We urge PheD to restore power to our area immediately.” Mr. Barine also expressed frustration with the lack of communication from PheD officials, saying,
“We have tried to reach out to PheD officials, but they have refused to respond to our queries. It’s like they don’t care about our plight.”
Mr. Reginald Lenaapena, a business owner along Zaakpon/Polytechnic road, Bori, complained bitterly about the power outage. “My business has been affected badly.
I have lost so much money because of this power outage. PheD officials are not even bothered to explain to us why we are in darkness. They just come to demand payment from us, without providing any electricity.
It’s like they are exploiting us,” he said. Mr. Lenaapena also expressed concern about the impact of the power outage on his customers, saying, “My customers are suffering because of this power outage. They can’t access basic necessities like food and water. I’m worried about their well-being.”
Other residents, including Mr. Sussy Turate and Deekae Peace Deekae, also expressed their frustration and disappointment with the power outage. “We are tired of living in darkness. We need light to carry out our daily activities.
PheD officials should come and explain to us why we are in darkness,” Mr. Turate said. Mr. Deekae added, “We are not asking for much. We just want electricity to power our homes and businesses. Is that too much to ask?”
The residents have called on the government of Rivers State, especially the Ministry of Power, to investigate the worsening conditions of electricity in Bori and environs. T
hey also accused PheD officials of demanding payment from them without providing electricity. “We are tired of paying for darkness. PheD officials should provide us with electricity before demanding payment from us,” Mr. Deekae said.
The residents have threatened to take further action if the power outage is not addressed promptly. They have called on PheD officials to come and explain to them why they are in darkness and to provide a timeline for restoring power to the area.
“We will not sit back and watch our lives and businesses suffer because of PheD’s negligence. We will take action to ensure that our rights are protected,” Mr. Barine said.
As the situation continues to unfold, residents of Bori are left to wonder when they will have access to electricity again.
The power outage has not only disrupted their daily lives but has also affected businesses and economic activities in the area.
The residents are calling on PheD officials to take immediate action to restore power to the area and to provide a long-term solution to the electricity crisis in Bori and environs.
Efforts by our correspondent to get the reaction of PheD officials proved abortive, as their mobile numbers were not reachable. Several calls were made to their official lines, but they were not answered. Text messages sent to the officials were also not replied, leaving our correspondent with no option but to rely on the accounts of the residents.
