Residents of Ikpai Ohom and Big Qua Town, in Calabar Municipality in Cross River State have threatened to drag Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company PHEDC to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission for obtaining money from them by tricks for services not rendered.
The residents told The Guardian in Calabar Tuesday, that the petition has become necessary because seven months after officials of company collected monies running into millions of naira from them for the repairs of the electricity transformer that serve the area, nothing has so far been done.
While lamenting the blackout that has lasted about seven months following the failure of a transformer supplying electricity to the areas, they described PHEDC action as an economic crime that needs to be addressed immediately and culprits brought to book
The Guardian reports that the transformer serving the two communities mounted since 1968 has been developing faults and finally taken away for repairs in August 2025, plunging the communities into total darkness.
The communities decried the failure of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company to repair and or replace the transformer removed after collection of money contributed by residents for repairs since August last year thereby putting them in total black out with no hope of repair in sight.
The residents appealed to Governor Bassey Otu for intervention, saying they could no longer rely on the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (DisCo) to resolve the problem.
Speaking with our correspondent in Calabar, resident of Ikpai, Ntufam Etim Edet, said the transformer serving the two communities broke down seven months ago leaving them without electricity, noting that the fault was beyond what the communities could handle, hence their appeal to the state government for assistance.
Similarly, a resident of Big Qua Town, who identified himself as Edim Ika , described the prolonged blackout in Ikpai and Big Qua Town as embarrassing and unacceptable.
He lamented that those expected to champion the resolution of the issue were comfortable using generators.
Another resident, Mr Okokon Edem, said the blackout had brought untold hardship to the communities.
“We now pay to charge our phones at charging centres that operate with generators,” he said, calling on the state government and well-meaning individuals to come to the aid of the communities.
Another resident who identified herself as Victoria Omini said the long blackout has become intolerable for families struggling through the disruption.adding that the situation has pushed more than 2,000 homes into deep hardship, worsening water shortages and heightening insecurity across the area, demanding urgent action to restore power to the communities.
"It is highly disheartening to state that we have only had energy supply for less than five months in 2025. Both communal living and business activities have suffered, with residents, including children, wives, and the elderly, scavenging for water from neighboring communities despite the high inflation rates of PMS and diesel.”
A Big Qua Town resident , Mr Ojo Idowu, said the blackout had forced many artisans who rely on electricity for their livelihoods to relocate to neighbouring communities.
He added that several small-scale businesses had shut down due to the lack of power, leaving the local economy at a standstill.
Idowu also expressed concern over rising insecurity, noting that vandals, hoodlums and burglars now take advantage of the darkness to perpetrate crimes at night.
According to him, residents were forced to celebrate Christmas and the New Year in darkness, a development he described as frustrating and unacceptable.
He appealed to the state government and political leaders to urgently intervene, adding that repeated efforts to get a response from the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company had proved unsuccessful.
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