Rivers
PCRC, PHED Partner To End Energy Theft,Vandalism Of Electrical Facilities
Worried by the increased theft and vandalism of transformers, electric cables and other facilities hindering distribution of power in communities across the State, the Rivers State Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) and the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company(PHED) have moved to end the menace in the State.
This was the outcome of the visit of executives of PCRC in the State led by its Chairman, Mr Voke Emore to the State headquarters of PHED on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.
Speaking during the visit , the Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of PHED, Mr Benson Uwheru while receiving the executives of PCRC stressed the importance of the partnership in ending the scourge of vandalism of facilities hindering distribution of power in communities.
He thanked them for the visit, noting that the partnership will help to bring the destructive act to a stop, adding that the vandalism of those critical assets was responsible for the power outage in the State.
Earlier in his address,Mr Voke Emore had opined that vandalism of electrical assets hindering distribution of power was criminal offence which is affecting negatively on the communities.
Mr Emore further explained that when PHED facilities like transformers, cables, poles among others are vandalised and stolen, “it throws the community into darkness and many businesses are grounded because most businesses are power dependent and when there is power outage in communities, it becomes very easy for criminals to perpetrate other crimes in these places under the cover of darkness.”
“We will carry out massive sensitisation, enlightenment campaign in communities on the negative consequences of energy theft and vandalism to the economy with a view to ending the menace and if every community member has the mindset that the electrical facilities are there own,they will be committed in protecting the PHED assets from activities of vandals” he stated. The Tide reports that as part of the awareness campaign, PCRC and PHED had started erecting bill boards in major busstops in the city with banners that have inscriptions, such as “ Say No To Vandalism of PHED Facility and Power Theft”.
Akujobi Amadi