Chairman of Akamkpa Local Government Council, Hon. (Ophot) Felix Akposi KSJI, in a meeting with Sterling Global and PHEDC.
By Anietie Akpan
The Chairman of Akamkpa Local Government Council, Hon. (Ophot) Felix Akposi KSJI, has issued a firm one-week ultimatum to Sterling Global and the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company PHEDC to fix and restore electricity in Akamkpa or face sanctions.
In a release from the Chief Press Secretary to the Council, Daniel Agbor, the sanctions include the impounding of their trucks and others as he described their handling of the situation as negligent and, in his words, nothing short of “witchcraft.”
The directive followed a tense interface held in his office on Thursday, November 13, 2025, where the Chairman confronted both parties over the prolonged blackout and the slow response to issues that should have been resolved weeks ago.
Akamkpa was expected to have its power restored on November 1 after several stakeholders meetings that addressed outstanding arrears and commitments by PHEDC but that expectation collapsed abruptly when a Sterling Global truck transporting materials to a contract site in Ikot Abasi crashed into a PHEDC pole, leading to the death of two persons while another narrowly survived.
Akposi, who had stepped in earlier to help mediate and encourage a swift resolution, said he was alarmed that both Sterling Global and PHEDC had allowed the matter to drag on despite reassurances. He noted that he even visited the company personally and appealed to PHEDC on their behalf to reduce the cost implications tied to energy loss under the electricity act.
“I intervened so this problem could be fixed immediately,” he told the representatives. “I am surprised that more than two weeks after, nothing has been done. You cannot frustrate the efforts of Government or sabotage what has already cost millions of naira to restore. If a company in Lagos could replace a transformer when we had issues with them, how much more you whose own negligence caused this setback in the first place.”
Offering their explanation, Sterling Global’s Chief Security Officer, Mr. Victor Usang, claimed PHEDC presented inflated quotations and also attempted to downplay the vandalism that occurred along the Isong Inyang axis after the accident.
The meeting forced both sides to go through the facts again, including the past disconnection of Akamkpa from the national grid due to poor bill remittances and the widespread vandalism that has kept the community in darkness for over eight years.
After hearing all submissions, the Chairman directed PHEDC and Sterling Global to jointly review the disputed quotations and begin remedial work immediately.
He stressed that power must be restored within one week or the council would impound Sterling Global’s trucks operating in the local government.
Beyond the immediate electricity issues, Akposi cautioned Sterling Global about improving safety standards among its drivers and expressed deep concern over what he described as a troubling pattern of reckless driving and preventable fatalities associated with the company’s vehicles.
According to him, persistent incidents could push the council to introduce tougher measures to curb the recurring dangers on Akamkpa roads.
The Chairman reaffirmed that the people of Akamkpa deserve steady electricity and safe roads and that no company would be allowed to undermine those goals through carelessness or indifference.
