The Cross River Government on Thursday donated 10 transformers to the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) to boost power supply in the state.
Eka Williams, the Cross River’s Commissioner for Power and Renewable Energy, who presented the transformers to PHEDC in Calabar, said it was a concrete step towards ensuring widespread electricity in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some local government areas (LGAs) in Cross River have been without electricity for over eight years.
Williams highlighted the proactive approach of Gov. Bassey Otu’s administration in expanding power supply to all corners of the state. He said that the initial phase of the project focused on delivering 10 transformers to enhance power generation in the metropolis.
He added efforts were underway to restore power supply to areas like Bakassi and Akamkpa LGAs among others, after years of power outages.
“Our engineers are working tirelessly on-site to expedite the restoration of electricity to underserved communities.
“While this underscores the government’s commitment to addressing long-standing challenges in the region, it’s crucial that we work together to protect these vital assets to ensure uninterrupted power supply,” he said.
Expressing gratitude, Gabriel Modupe, Regional Manager of PHEDC, said the collaboration between the government and the distribution company, was a testament to a shared goal of improving the lives of Cross River residents.
Modupe, who noted the essential nature of electricity in modern life, urged residents of the state to support efforts toward safeguarding power infrastructure from vandalism. He clarified the issues around billing adding that estimated billing mostly affected customers without meters.
“The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s capping policy is a guide for accurate billing in the absence of meters.
“We, however, reassure customers of ongoing initiatives to provide free meters and the introduction of Meter Asset Providers to facilitate meter installations while ensuring equitable billing practices,” he added.
NAN reports that the distribution of the transformers which commenced immediately was to communities in the state that had initially applied for them.