By Davies Iheamnachor

The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHEDC, has resolved two years old rift with its host, Komkom Community in Oyibo Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The rift had led to the shutting down of the Komkom sub-transmission station of PHED, Komkom in Oyibo Urban, Oyibo LGA, which supplies electricity to the community and other towns in the state, for two years.

Following the understanding reached by the community and the firm, PHED yesterday reopened the abandoned facility after major renovation works on it.

Speaking during the reopening, the Regional Manager, Deta-2, Engr Kenneth Idemudia, said both parties gave dialogued and come to agreement, adding that PHED worked hard to ensure that electricity is restored in the community.

Idemudia, who represented the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, PHED, Benseon Uhweru, urged the people of Komkom to be committed to payment of electricity bills and protect the facility from vandalism.

He said: “Our mission today is to restore power. It is on this that PHED funded this project to ensure that electricity is restored to our esteemed customers here. We have had several conversations with representatives of the community and we are encouraged with them.

“We are about to leave the challenges we have had with them and we will not got back to them. We encourage you to pay your bills and protect the facility in your community. Ensure no act of vandalism and meter bypass.”

Responding, the Palace Secretary of Komkom, Chief Precious Ewuruka, stated that the parties have come to terms after two years of disagreement, tasking PHED for a better community relation.

Ewuruka said: “After two years of war, we have come back to work together. Let’s us come together and understand ourselves better.

“I am making a passionate appeal to you that you support us with fixing the lines. We have suffered a lot. You are duty bound to reciprocate our goodwill to you, because we have done a lot for you.”