By Our Reporter
Residents of Calabar and across Cross River State have expressed growing frustration and anger toward the Director General of the State Electrification Agency (SEA), Francis Ekpo, over the persistent failure to connect and power communities despite provision of transformers by the state government.
The outcry comes amid allegations that the DG’s actions are directly undermining Governor Otu’s “People First” administration, which has prioritized infrastructure and the restoration of basic services to the citizens.
According to sources, Governor Bassey Edet Otu has already procured the necessary transformers and issued a clear directive to the SEA to energize and connect communities across the state. The initiative was designed to end the prolonged blackouts that have crippled local businesses and domestic life in the metropolis.
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While the agency began distribution with some fanfare, deploying a 1,000KV unit to Ikang in Bakassi in September 2025 and several 500KVA units to Ekorinim, Parliamentary Extension, Ugep, and Ogoja between February and March 2026, the momentum has reportedly ground to a halt.
Sir Robinson Ekpo, DG of Bayside Media, highlighted the gravity of the situation in a Facebook post made on Wednesday 1st April, 2026, noting that the hope brought by the Governor’s intervention is turning into despair.
“Months after these transformers were delivered, many remain unconnected, abandoned, and in some cases already deteriorating,” Robinson Ekpo wrote. “What should have been a symbol of progress is fast becoming a symbol of neglect. Attention has increasingly shifted to the State Electrification Agency under Francis Ekpo as residents raise concerns over delays and a lack of follow-through.”
The delay has also led to reports of vandalism, as the unused transformers sit vulnerable in the elements, further compounding the financial loss to the state.
The technical failures are beginning to take a political toll. Communities such as Nyahasang Nyomidibi and Ikot Effanga Mkpa have reportedly cried out for replacements to no avail.
Reacting to the situation, a local resident, Sunday Nimmon, questioned how the administration could expect electoral support in the future if basic needs are ignored by agency heads. “The cry has never been addressed. So how would the community think of casting their vote for him come 2027?” Nimmon asked.
Critics are now questioning whether the SEA leadership’s perceived nonchalance is a deliberate attempt to frustrate Governor Otu’s agenda as the next election cycle approaches.
As of press time, the State Electrification Agency has not released an official statement regarding the timeline for the remaining connections and distribution to areas such as Big Qua Town that has endured over 8 months of blackout due to faulty transformer.
For the residents of Calabar, the demand remains simple: accountability, transparency, and the immediate restoration of power through the infrastructure already provided by the state government.
