- Akwa Ibom State is facing extended power outages due to an ‘earth fault’ at key transmission stations and a strike by senior staff of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED).
- The strike began on August 12 and has worsened the situation. The Ibom Power Plant is currently undergoing an audit, further complicating the power supply crisis.
Electricity consumers in Akwa Ibom State are enduring prolonged power outages following a strike by senior staff members of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED). The strike, which began on Monday, August 12, 2024, has compounded issues arising from significant faults in key transmission stations across the state.
According to a statement released by PHED management, the outage crisis started with a critical ‘earth fault’ affecting the Itu, Uyo, Eket, and Ekim transmission stations. The company announced the fault on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, highlighting that the problem has left residents without a public power supply for several days.
PHED has been working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) maintenance crew to address and rectify the faults in response to the technical failures. The strike by PHED senior staff members has further exacerbated the power crisis.
Innocent Douglas, deputy general secretary of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Workers Companies, TCN, Benin region, confirmed the action. He said the strike was initiated due to unresolved disputes between the labour union and PHED management. The union’s directive includes a complete shutdown of PHED facilities in all franchise states to facilitate unbiased dialogue and negotiations.
The union’s statement advised PHED staff to stay away from their offices, except those required to manage regional and feeder office gates. This industrial action has hindered efforts to promptly address the power outage crisis.
Adding to the situation’s complexity, Akwa Ibom State owns the Ibom Power Plant, which has a capacity of 100 megawatts and supplies power to the national grid. However, the plant is currently undergoing an audit initiated by the state government, which limits its ability to alleviate the power supply issues.
Residents of Akwa Ibom State are left grappling with the dual challenges of a significant technical fault and industrial action, highlighting the urgent need for resolution and collaboration among all stakeholders to restore reliable electricity supply.