Evaluation of the Administration of Public Utilities in Nigeria and Developmental Imperatives: A Study of Port-Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

Public utility is a government owned organization meant to supply goods and services seen as essential commodities.  With the introduction of economic reforms in the mid-eighties, the Nigeria government came up with the privatization and commercialization programme which was implemented in 1993.  As a result of poor performance in distribution of power, the government turned NEPA from a non-Profit making to a profit-making enterprise. This necessitated the privatization of NEPA. After privatization, NEPA did not still perform as expected. Hence, it was bought over by PHEDC the present company handling electricity distribution in the country. This is because government cannot fund nor subsidize NEPA. Today, people are dissatisfied With PHEDC because of high cost, delay in providing meters, inconsistent power supply, over estimation etc. This has led her commercial and industrial customers to become heavily reliant on self-generated power, using fuel and diesel generators which are very costly for consumers. This sector was set up to provide affordable and efficient service to the public with large coverage with the possibility of providing credit facilities; rather we see duplication of receipt, nonchalant attitude of staff and general poor performance. This paper seeks to examine the operations, and efficiency of service delivery of PHEDS in Nigeria and ways of improving performance.