The Cross River State Electrification Agency has commenced a comprehensive assessment of power infrastructure in Bakassi Local Government Area of the state. Bakassi LGA has been without electricity for more than a decade. The assessment team, led by AIG Chief Enene Okon, inspected power facilities in the 10 wards of the local government to determine the condition of existing infrastructure and identify the interventions required to reconnect communities to the national grid.
During the inspection, the engineers assessed transformers and other power facilities in various communities, identifying some units requiring repairs and others needing complete replacement. The exercise is expected to provide the technical baseline for the state government's planned intervention in the area. The assessment aims to address the prolonged electricity crisis in Bakassi.
Okon commended the State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, for the administration's commitment to the development of Bakassi. He cited the proposed power restoration, sustained efforts to maintain peace and security, and the planned Bakassi Deep Seaport project as some of the initiatives expected to boost development in the area.
Okon described the assessment as a significant step towards addressing the prolonged electricity crisis in Bakassi, despite skepticism and opposition from some quarters in the communities. He urged residents to maintain their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying continued political alignment will help sustain government attention and development in the area.
The team received a warm reception in several communities, with youths joining the delegation as it moved from one ward to another. Residents expressed optimism that the assessment would be followed by concrete action to restore electricity in the local government area.
Meanwhile, residents of Ekong/Ekeya community in Ward 12, Calabar South Local Government Area, have appealed to the government to extend a similar intervention to the community, which has been without electricity for about 10 months. A community representative, Ndabu Okposin David, urged the government to use the current electioneering period to provide the community with a new transformer.
Okposin said the community had contributed significantly to electoral outcomes in the state and deserved government attention. The community's appeal highlights the broader challenge of electricity access in the region, with several communities facing prolonged power outages.
Key points
- The Cross River State Electrification Agency has started a comprehensive assessment of power infrastructure in Bakassi Local Government Area.
- The assessment aims to address the prolonged electricity crisis in Bakassi.
- The exercise is expected to provide the technical baseline for the state government's planned intervention in the area.
