The Executive Chairman of Oron Local Government Area, Hon. Chief Okon Asukwo Enweme, has intervened in the prolonged power outage in Oro nation, summoning the Eket regional manager of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) and youth groups to find a lasting solution.
Speaking during the meeting in his office on Wednesday, Chief Enweme commended the youths for planning a protest, saying, “Oro will be a better place with concerned and patriotic youths like you.”
He acknowledged the people’s frustration, revealing that he hadn’t seen electricity in his area for three months.
The council boss criticized PHEDC for its “ill treatment” of the community, questioning why the area suffered prolonged blackouts, despite its strategic coastal location.
“We will not keep quiet and watch Oro remain in darkness while PHEDC continues to bill us monthly,” he vowed.
Chief Enweme urged PHEDC to restore power within two weeks, warning that failure to do so would lead to youth action.
The Eket regional manager, Mr. Anthony Etim, apologised for the outage, blaming faulty power source components, and promised to restore electricity within two weeks.
Also speaking, Noble Elder Sunday Odokwo, who led the Coalition of Oro Youth Groups to the meeting, warned that if PHEDC failed to fulfill its promise, the youths would shut down the company’s office in Oron.