The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company has donated four truckloads of rice to support the palliative measures by the governments of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, PHED, Mr Henry Ajagbawa made this known in a statement issued on Thursday by the PHED Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr John Onyi.
Ajagbawa said that the intervention was to cushion the effects of the stay-at-home directive to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The managing director lauded the pragmatic approach the four state governors had taken to curtail the spread of the virus to save the lives of their people and those doing business in the states.
“We wish to state unequivocally that PHED as an essential service provider will support you by ensuring that power supply received from the national grid shall be distributed to all homes to enable residents feel comfortable while observing the stay-at-home order.
“In supporting the palliative measures put in place by the state governments, PHED has donated four truckloads of rice in fulfilment of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), one to each state,’’ Ajagbawa said.
He further said that all PHED staff had been trained on COVID-19 standard operating procedures (social distancing, self-protection, logistics etc).
He added that all PHED staff had been provided with health protection gears to enable them provide electricity supply during this period of lockdown.
“In our effort to stop the spread, several areas of our services have been automated to ensure that there are limited contacts with the members of public.
“Such as electronic payment of electricity bill, reading of meters, fault complaints, electronic communication via social media platforms, partial deployment of electronic invoices and periodic SMS.
“PHED will continue to work closely with the state governments and other relevant stakeholders in supporting their efforts at curtailing the spread of the pandemic,’’ the chief executive officer said.
Receiving the items on behalf of Bayelsa Government, Deputy Chief of Staff, Bayelsa Government House, Mr Peter Akpe, thanked the company for the donation.
“We want to appreciate the Almighty God and state that Bayelsa State has not recorded any case of COVID-19.
“Though, with this report, we are not leaving any stone unturned to ensure that we keep this status all through this trying times.
“It is in the time of need that you know your friend.
“Bayelsa will forever appreciate this support by PHED and continue to work with you to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Bayelsa State,’’ Akpe said. (NAN)
