By Abasi Ita, Calabar
Commercial activities have been paralysed while residents of Nyangassang Community, a densely populated semi-urban area, adjacent to the Federal Government Girl’s College and Margaret Ekpo International Airport, all in Calabar, the capital city of Cross River are now groping in darkness with no sign of relief.
This is attributable to the disconnection of the transformer supplying electricity to the several thousand households in the area by the Calabar Zonal office of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHED.
Findings by SUMMIT POST NEWS unveiled that the nightmares for consumers began in March, when the power voltage supplied by the overlaboured transformer assumed fluctuating mode thereby destroying many electrical appliances.
According to a community leader in the area Chief Baron Eyo,” We started experiencing abnormal voltage around March. Sometimes, it will go up to 280kva instead of the normal ratio of 180-220kva, then drop to as low as 80kva in one swoop. Findings revealed that the neural phase from the transformer was burnt and needed to be fixed.
“We called the Zonal Manager of PHED, Mr Gabriel and notified him of the issue. He promised to address it immediately. Each time we called further to remind him, he kept saying the maintenance team was on their way.”
“We mobilised ourselves to provide necessary logistic support to the maintenance team to fast-track the repairs but we waited in vain. They never show up”
“When they finally came, they disconnected  us completely from the national grid. This is the height of insensitivity because exactly seven years ago, over twenty residents of this area were electrocuted due to carelessness, negligence and professional incompetency of PHED. This singular act, coming at the commemoration period of that tragedy tantamount to robbing salt on injury”.
Speaking, a youth activist in the area Etim Asuquo said ” We informed PHED about the fault at the transformer but surprisingly nothing was done for months, rather they came and removed all the fuses from the substation, disconnected the transformer, thereby throwing the whole area into a blackout under the pretext that we are not a seriously minded community, since we couldn’t fund the repairs. Meanwhile,we had raised a substantial amount to assist them since they keep saying their headquarters in Port Harcourt is not funding maintenance works,but only interested in revenue generation”
Traders and housewives who spoke to our reporter narrated their ordeals arising from the prolonged blackout, lamenting that the setback has compounded the already excruciating economic realities arising from the exorbitant cost of petrol needed to power generating sets for preservation of food, perishable goods as well as refrigerating of drinks in shops for their daily businesses.
A staff of the PHED who spoke on condition of anonymity said” Our major problem is the fact that for several years now, our headquarters in Port Harcourt keeps sending non professional mostly bankers as Zonal Managers. These former bankers lack basic elementary knowledge in electricity. Once you report faults, they hardly act, their priority is revenue generation”
“We have other transformers closed by which could have share the loads to avert the perennial explosions from this transformer popularly called first transformer, especially after the electrocution tragedy. But nothing has been done. Let’s hope we are not courting another tragedy”
It would be recalled that over 30 Manchester United fans were electrocuted when a high tension cable snapped and landed on the roof of a viewing centre during an Europa Match after heavy explosions from the said transformer.
Police statement indicated seven died while others suffered severe electrical burnts. The death toll was contested by the members of the community insisting over 20 died.
When contacted,the Zonal Manager,PHED, Gabriel Modupe claimed ignorant of the issue referring our reporter to the Technical Manager,Tom Udofia who failed to pick up several calls nor respond to SMS.