Okrika Children Cry Out Over Gross Darkness, Residents Lament Unending Plight

Some children in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State have cried out to the authorities to prevail on the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) to restore electricity in the area.

As the deplorable power supply situation bites harder, goring every facet of Wakrike land, these minors in separate chats with Kristina Reports raised alarm over the gross darkness experienced for months in the area.

The minors expressed their displeasure about the situation on Thursday, May 16, 2024 during a visit by Kristina Reports to Gethsemville International School, Ekerekana, Okrika LGA.

Speaking, Special, age five, told Kristina Reports that the situation has deprived them of certain benefits.

“Every day, my father buys fuel to put in our gen, if I ask him for anything, he will not buy for me. He will be shouting and I will cry.”

Tokuala, age four, asserted that the past few months have been a nightmare due to the lighting situation.

“We’ve not had light, this will make it five months, I can’t do my homework at nights because no lights.”

Evajoy, age four, told Kristina Reports that the leaders should do something about it to arrest the situation.

“I want the local government chairman to do something about it so we can have light. It’s not good, I can’t bathe hot water again cus no light. They should help us.”

An official of the school, David Tamunosiki, in an interview with Kristina Reports described the situation, which he said has persisted for months now, as “disheartening”, stating that given that the land is bounded by strong values, morals, enlightenment and exposure, this experience is uncalled for.

“One of the fundamental amenity to be enjoyed by the people is light and it’s not been given for a long time now to the extent that people has given up.”

He added that the apathy of the leaders towards the plight is preposterous, pleading that the situation should be looked into to better lives.

“We have leaders, we have chiefs, we have people that are able to make our lives better, nothing is being done and they are claiming they are repairing the light.”

“We are not blind and we are not unreasonable. Nobody is saying anything. Everybody is just quiet in this darkness to tell us how backward we are as a people.”

Tamunosiki however advised that the leaders should be up and about asserting that we have outgrown this level.

“As a people, we are more than this, we have bigger than this way of life. The painful thing is if they should fix it, there’s no guarantee it will be steady so why keep us in gross darkness.

“Children can’t do assignments; parents can’t iron uniforms. Even as staff members, we go to work with rumple clothes. We are bigger than this.”