Residents of Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River, on Wednesday, marched to the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company in Calabar, to protest a one-year blackout.

The protesters, who barricaded the entrance of the PHEDC, carried placards with inscriptions that included ‘We are tired of blackout caused by Maurice Ibok (Calabar PHEDC Manager)’ and ‘N857 Million Electricity Consumer Debt is a Lie.’

A spokesperson for the Akpabuyo residents, Jonathan Osang, said the area had been without electricity for “over a year.”

Mr. Osang said despite the blackout, residents received “high estimated electricity bills monthly.”

“We are here to protest the non-supply of power to Akpabuyo for over a year now. Akpabuyo LGA that is known as a city of light, is now a city of total darkness.

“We have to register our complaint and call on the attention of the management of PHEDC to, as a matter of urgency, look into our matter and restore power supply,” he stated.

However, Mr. Ibok, who addressed the protesters, said, “We have met some of the residents in Akpabuyo. We have even promised to engage them to work with us.

“I am ready for us to settle this issue amicably and peacefully, but the idea of locking our gate and preventing customers from coming in to pay their bills is not appropriate.”

(NAN)