Edith CHUKU/Ruth NWORIE
With a few days to Christmas celebration, residents of Transformer Road axis of the Rumuowha Community in Eneka, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, have called for the urgent Intervention of the community leaders to restore power in the area.
They lamented that barely two weeks to Christmas, the area was still plunged into blackout after hoodlums vandalised the transformer.
The incident which occurred about three weeks ago, has left the area without electricity. Chairman of the community transformer committee, Mr. Akwousa Jeremiah, spoke with TNN in an interview.
Jeremiah described the attack on the transformer as unprecedented, noting that it was the first incident in his four years of overseeing electricity-related issues in the community.
He explained that he discovered the vandalism while inspecting the transformer after residents complained of a power outage.
Expressing shock over the incident, Akwuosa said, “since I became chairman I have not witnessed anything like this. Whenever there is electrical issues I report them to NEPA officials, and NEPA staff have been coming to check and repair faults.
“I am a native of Rumuowha. The community gathered and appointed me to take care of NEPA issues and to report to NEPA if there are any problems. It is more than four years now and this is the first time I have experienced this kind of thing here. On the day it happened I reported to the NEPA office.”
According to him, “NEPA marketers came and took pictures of the scene, and people within the area have been complaining about the blackout.
“I came back from the NEPA office. People came and complained to me that there was no light and it was raining. I could not go to the transformer because NEPA told us not to, but I thought I could check the fuse and replace it so they could get light. On my way to the transformer to check the fuse I saw the gate had been opened, it was cut and thieves had entered through the door and vandalised the transformer.”
Stressing on residents’ grievances over the situation, Akwuosa said, “we called a meeting with everyone who uses the transformer, they spoke with one voice, some people suggested they would pursue traditional means to find the perpetrators. Some people said they will go to native doctors because they cannot lay a hand on anyone now. Before they do anything else, the Ojiohor of Eneka will come and investigate; anyone found guilty will face the consequences.
“The blackout is affecting businesses and water supply because there is no power to pump water. Some residents now go to neighbouring Rumuosi to fetch water. The lack of light is affecting us severely. People here who don’t have generators have to go to another community to fetch water, and fuel is costly.”
He further pleaded with the government to come to their rescue, revealing that “whenever we have previous light problems the community contributes money to fix them. If the government can replace the transformer we will be very grateful. Even when we had other light issues, we were the ones who contributed money to solve them. We have written to NEPA with no response, and people are complaining. We want the government to help us and change the transformer.
“I’m happy we want to put a stop to this. After the Ojiowhor’s intervention, anything that happens to the person responsible is not my concern, because a thief is not my brother, someone will sleep and wake up and want darkness.”
