The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED) Plc has commence the prosecution of its former staff and one other at the Rivers State High Court Port Harcourt, for embarking on unauthorised operation on the company’s facilities and alleged murder of one Mr. Eugene Damini.

The victim was said to have met his untimely death at the Mopol 19 Junction in Port Harcourt, on October 3, 2021.

In a statement yesterday by Head, Corporate Communications of PHED, Mr. John Anonyai, the suspects, “Mr. Uche Nwale, Mr. Chike Ugo and Mr. Choko Thankgod, who were staff of PHED had conspired to illegally provide services of relocating an electric pole at the premises of Mama Tin Bakery, opposite Mopol 19 Barracks, GRA, Phase 4, in Port Harcourt, where the incident occurred while they were illegally tampering and meddling with PHED distribution network and facilities.”

The matter is before Justice S. H. Aprioku of the State High Court and it was gathered that the former PHED staff had been engaged by the owner of Mama Tin Bakery to relocate a pole for her on PHED’s 11KV line for alleged N100,000.00 fee.

It was learned that the suspects in order to achieve their alleged objectives, engaged the services of one Mr. Paul Oyil, a Hiab driver, to use his Hiab to help them lift and relocate the pole.
Oyil in turn also engaged the services of his Motor Boy, late Eugene Damini (victim) who was electrocuted to death at the scene of the unauthorised operation.

Anonyai had disclosed that “while they climbed the pole and removed the pot insulators, cross arms and other electrical accessories holding the line in place, the Hiab driver started lifting the pole to transfer it to a new hole already dug for it in a new location.

“However, he negligently lifted the pole above safety limits and the pole being lifted contacted an energised PHED 33KV line, leading to the electrocution and death of Eugene Damini who was illegally guiding and holding the electric pole.

“The former staff of PHED is aware that the management of the PHED have severally warned members of staff and the public about the dangers of illegal operations, and the risk of conducting any form of activities around high tension power lines or similar facilities of the company,” he said.

It would be recalled that the Managing Director of PHED, Dr. Henry Ajagbawa, had during a media parley recently in Port Harcourt, warned that the company will arrest and prosecute any staff or other person found guilty of energy theft or vandalising the company’s facilities.

In another development, residents of Okporo community in Port Harcourt have apprehended suspects who attempted to vandalise PHED yellow and blue armoured cables opposite Okporo Police Station.

The community’s residents who recovered one of the vandalised cables from the suspects, handed them over to the police at the Okporo Police Station.

The community had intervened, stopping the alleged the vandals from stealing the 500mm² armoured cables (Yellow and Blue Phases) of the substation.

‘Access to Market Intelligence, Trade Information Critical to Intra-Africa Trade’
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Compass Global Limited, Mrs. Tokunbo Chiedu, has said that access to market intelligence, finance, trade information, and market requirements are vital to deepen intra-Africa trade among small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Chiedu, who stated this in a statement in Lagos, said that this was important to foster new business opportunities, through business linkages and engagements.

According to her, these factors were critical as the region approaches the the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

The CEO said that the company’s Female Leaders and Entrepreneurs Conference (FLEC), which held in Ghana in November, addressed issues of trade and AfCFTA, corporate governance, and access to finance and financial planning.

She said that the event showcased success stories of innovative African brands, while focusing on lessons learnt, thought leadership, and building resilience in the post pandemic era.

Chiedu noted that the company had tagged FLEC 2022, ‘The year of resilience’, saying that it would provide more support to empower SMEs across all sectors.

According to her, FLEC is designed to provide our audience with experiential learning, and powerful tools; a means through which to promote personal or organisational empowerment. She said that the company would continue to work with other strategic and regional partners to showcase Africa’s brightest minds. Chiedu disclosed that FLEC would move to Kenya and other key markets in 2022.

(THISDAY)

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