Ikot Idem, Akwa Ibom – A N300 million project to provide and install transformers in selected rural agricultural communities, including Ikot Idem in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area (LGA) of Akwa Ibom State, has failed to deliver, leaving residents without electricity for over a year.

The revelation, detailed in a post on X by Tracka, a citizen-led budget tracking organization Thursday, has sparked outrage and urgent calls for accountability from the Federal Cooperative College (Kaduna), the implementing agency.

The funds, allocated in the 2024 Federal Government Budget, were intended to enhance power supply in rural communities such as Ikot Idem, Ibakesi, Ikot Ikpa, Iwukem, and Ikot Ibekwe. However, Tracka’s investigation reveals a community still grappling with darkness.

No evidence of transformer installation or electrical infrastructure improvements was found, confirming the project’s stagnation.

Tracka reports that the community has been without power for more than 12 months, a situation exacerbated by the absence of the promised transformers. This failure contradicts earlier state efforts, such as the 2020 distribution of 452 transformers to 268 villages under Governor Udom Emmanuel’s “Power for All” initiative.

Tracka has called on the Federal Cooperative College (Kaduna) to provide the public with detailed information on the project’s status and to facilitate its execution.

The stalled transformer project undermines these efforts, raising questions about oversight and fund utilization within federal agencies.

No official response has been issued by the Federal Cooperative College (Kaduna) or the Akwa Ibom State Government, even as Tracka’s findings may prompt further investigations or community-led oversight to ensure the project’s completion.