Power outage: Delta community gives PHCN one week ultimatum

By FESTUS AHON

UGHELLI—People of Otovwodo-Ughelli community, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, yesterday, handed a one week ultimatum to management of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, to restore electricity supply to the area or risk a showdown with the people.

The community and major parts of Ughelli metropolis and its environs had been without electricity since November 30, 2012, following the breakdown of the 16 MVA step-down transformer at Otovwodo substation.

Addressing newsmen shortly after a meeting at the community’s town hall, its Chairman, Prince Difference Umudi, lamented that the prolonged power outage in the area was adversely impacting on the socio-economic lives of the people.

Umudi disclosed that the leadership of the community had paid several visits to Ughelli Business District of PHCN on the development, adding that “they promised to restore electricity on December 24, 2012, but failed to do so. They promised again to restore power by December 30 and they also failed.”

He said the community would begin with a peaceful protest should the situation continue at the expiration of the ultimatum. “The entire community would be mobilised for the protest march to register our grievances,” he added.