The management of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company has raised the alarm of the spate of attacks on its field staff by its customers in four states of its coverage.
PHED said on Tuesday that some of its employees had been brutalised by some disgruntled members of the public for inexplicable reasons.
A statement signed by the Manager, Corporate Communications of PHED, Mr. Jonah Iboma, recalled how a customer attacked some of the company’s employees in Polaku, a rural community in Bayelsa State and Onne in Rivers State.
It added that the recent development had made it necessary for PHED to call on members of the public to desist from such violent acts.
“The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company had expressed deep concerns at the increasing spate of violent attacks unleashed on her field staff carrying out legitimate duties by customers in several locations in the four states of its coverage.
“Although many other incidents have taken place in the past, recent cases in Polaku, a rural community in Bayelsa State, as well as Onne in Rivers State have made it necessary for the company to appeal to the public to desist from such acts.
“In Polaku, a customer attacked PHED workers with machete and in the process inflicted severe injuries on one of the workers, while in Onne, some of the community youths, who invaded the PHED office, forced workers to sit on the ground in their quest to get the company to employ them,” the statement read.
Describing the incidents as very unfortunate, Iboma said such violent attitude from customers would not be tolerated by the company.
The manager recalled that the company was currently locked in legal battle with a former member of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom State, who attacked and severely injured an employee of PHED when it was discovered that he had by-passed electricity supply from the meter that measures his consumption.
Iboma said it was wrong for members of the public to attack individuals who go about their lawful duties, adding that such acts were against the laws of the country.
He reminded electricity consumers to know that PHED workers were like other law abiding citizens going out for their daily bread and that they are not responsible for electricity problems in the country.
PHED, he noted, would not condone such lawless acts from members of the public and would take necessary legal steps if such incidents occurred in the future.
According to him, “If attacks on the company workers continue, this can impact negatively on the ability of the company to serve customers going forward.
“Asides that, the company will not sit and watch any of its workers been attacked by customers, but will take appropriate legal measures against such persons.”
SOURCE -: http://ift.tt/1MBXIMy
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