The Ogbunabali community in their large number on Monday morning to storm 132/33kv Transmission Station located at Nzimiro Junction, Port Harcourt with fetish items and forced the operators on duty to switch off supply, thereby plunging some parts of Port Harcourt including Government House into darkness.
The action of the community has led to inability of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), to supply power to Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company for eventual distribution to its valued customers in the affected areas.
Also the economic activities of the affected places have been brought to a halt, as a result of the sacking of TCN’s officials on duty by the community, IWIN reports.
The Ogbunabali community, it would be recalled, carried out similar action, early last year, when it demanded 24 hour power supply, employment, compensation, among others.
At a meeting that was brokered then by the former caretaker chairman of Port Harcourt Local Government Area (PHALGA) it was made known to the community that the said place where the facilities of TCN was located belongs to Federal Government of Nigeria, therefore, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) had no authority over the asset. It is only a source through which power is transmitted to PHED customers.
Though, the value chain in the electricity industry was once again explained exhaustively in the presence of Nigeria Police, who mediated, resulting to the removal of their fetish items at the office of the TCN by the community, power supply to the affected areas is yet to be restored as at the time of filing this report, based on the level of disruption of TCN equipment during the forceful ejection of the operators on duty.
