Total black-out in Port Harcourt as youths shutdown power facility

Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital is now in total blackout following the shutdown of power facilities by protesting youths.

The youths from a host community in Oyigbo Local Government Area stormed the Afam Power plant and shut down the transmission engine supplying power to Port Harcourt.

When contacted, Public Communications Officer of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHEDC, John Onyi said the the youths were violent.
Onyi told the media in Port Harcourt that the youths broke into the Afam Power Plant facility, “chased all the technical engineers away and shutdown the transmission engine.
“The youths said we are giving them low shedding. That we are not giving them enough power and other things as the host community.
“Their action has now led to a total black out in the entire Port Harcourt. The facility they shutdown is the one that supplies power to Port Harcourt.

“Our engineers had to leave the site for their own safety. We are calling on the Law enforcement agencies and the government to come to our aid.”
The PHEDC spokesman also appealed to the youths to calm their nerves while the issues were being amicably resolved.
Caretaker Committee Chairman of Oyigbo Local Government Area, Chisom Gbali said the actions of the youths were justified.
He said the community hosting the Afam Power Plant had not benefited from the facility.

Chisom Gbali accused the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company of violating the Local content Law.