Angry Ijaw youths have seized the office of an electricity distribution company (Disco) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, sacking all the employees.
The youths described the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), which is in charge of the state, Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, as an irresponsible firm.
The youths led by the Chairman, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Central Zone, Kennedy Olorogun, called on the Federal Government to revoke the license issued to PHEDC insisting that the firm was incompetent.
Olorogun said the state especially Yenagoa had been in darkness for as long as the existence of PHEDC in state saying the company had made life in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa horrible.
He said PHEDC had forced many businesses to close shops in Yenagoa because of consistent darkness in the city adding that its activities contributed to some pockets of criminal activities in the area.
He said: “We have been engaging this company on the need to give Yenagoa some hours of electricity every day. We once gave them a 14-day ultimatum to remove all the light breakers to ensure that whenever they give light all parts of Yenagoa enjoy the light. But they didn’t honour the ultimatum.
“We decided to shut down their office in Yenagoa and sack all their staff. They should go home because they have no reason to operate in Bayelsa.
“How can you say you are a Disco yet you cant give electicity to a city where your office is located? Among the discos, PHEDC is the worst. The company is very irresponsible and incompetent. They lack the capacity to do this job and they have continued to display it.
“We are calling on the Federal Government to revoke the license it granted to PHEDC and issue a fresh license to any other company with the capacity to give us light.
“We will continue to barricade their office in Yenagoa until either their license is revoked or they make serious commitment to live up to their responsibilities”.