Residents around Mile 1 and Mile 3 Diobu areas of Port Harcourt took to the streets in protest against the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), citing the prolonged blackout in the Garden City exacerbated by the night’s heat wave.
The women, brandishing placards with inscription that says, ‘No Light, No Payment’, ‘The Heat is too much’, etc and raising chants, expressed frustration over the adverse effects of the blackout, particularly on their refrigerated food, which they claim is spoiling due to the lack of electricity.
An anonymous protester lamented, “We came to tell NEPA that there is no light in Mile 3 area. We pay bills every month but no light. It affects us by making our soup sour.”
In a surprising turn, they also asserted that the absence of electricity has diminished romantic activities in their marriages, as the heat discourages conjugal relations with their husbands.
As of press time, PHEDC has not issued a statement regarding the situation.
However, the ongoing power reduction in Port Harcourt could be linked to the recent collapse of the national grid.