Mr Iboro Essienubom, Regional Product Manager, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED), says 13 transformers were vandalised in one week at Eket and two other areas of Akwa Ibom.
Essienubom disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent in Eket on Saturday.
He listed the other areas as Etinan and Ikot Abasi.
“The problem we are having in Eket recently is vandalism.
“Hoodlums are vandalising our transformers, cutting cables, draining oil, cutting earth wires,” Essienubom said.
He alleged that the vanadalism was being done through a syndicate, and appealed to communities to protect public facilities.
“I just came back from Etinan yesterday, four transformers were vandalised; in Ikot Abasi, two transformers were vandalised, and in Eket, seven transformers were vandalised, in one week.
“It is a very big challenge to us, we are calling on our customers to organise vigilante to watch over transformers in their communities,” Essienubom said.
He said that PHED was partnering with communities to ensure that its installations were secure to avoid blackout.
Essienubom also noted that vandalism of transformers meant loss of revenue to the company.
The regional product manager said that Meter Access Provider (MAP) had arrived at Eket and would be metered to customers who earlier paid to the vendor.
“We have a backlog of over 1000.
On free prepaid meters, he said that 71,000 were given by the company but no one benefitted from Eket LGA.
He promising that the customers in Eket would benefit from the next batch.