Cross River Blackout Sparks Outrage

Cross River communities have threatened to take action against Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) after six‑month blackout that has plunged Ikpai Ohom and Big Qua town into darkness,

Our Correspondent  who visited Big Quo town in Calabar Municipal gathered that the 1968‑installed transformer packed up in August 2025 and was taken  away for repairs, leaving the two neighbourhoods without power.

Residents say PHEDC has failed to replace or even repair the unit despite collecting money from the locals for the work.

According to one of the stakeholders in the Okpai  community, Ntufam Etim Edet, “The transformer broke down six months ago and we’re still in the dark.

“The fault is beyond what we can fix, so we’re begging the state government to step in.”

His plea underscores the frustration felt across the community, where even basic services like charging phones now require a trip to generator‑run centres.

Also, Big Qua Town resident, Edim Ika, described the situation as “embarrassing and unacceptable,” lamenting that those who should be championing solutions are “comfortable using generators” while ordinary folks suffer.

The prolonged outage has forced families to rely on costly charging hubs, with one resident, Mr Okokon Edem, saying, “We now pay to charge our phones at charging centres that operate with generators.”

Victoria Omini added that the blackout has become “intolerable for families struggling through the disruption,” pushing more than 2,000 homes into deep hardship, worsening water shortages and heightening insecurity. She noted, “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.”

An artisan Mr Ojo Idowu from Big Qua Town said the darkness has forced many craftsmen to relocate, and several small‑scale businesses have shut down, bringing the local economy to a standstill.

He warned that vandals and hoodlums are exploiting the night‑time blackout to commit crimes, forcing residents to live in darkness, a situation he claimed is “frustrating and unacceptable.”

The community has repeatedly reached out to PHEDC, but their calls have fallen on deaf ears, Idowu stated.

“We’ve tried to get a response from the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, but it’s been unsuccessful,” Idowu said, echoing the broader sentiment that the DisCo can no longer be relied upon to solve the crisis.

Meanwhile, Governor Bassey Otu’s administration has signaled a willingness to intervene, having previously ordered a statewide electrification assessment to address similar challenges elsewhere in the state.