The Niger state government Thursday,said the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company(AEDC),lacks capacity to provide uninterrupted electricity to consumers in the state.
Besides,the state government said it has contributed towards ensuring that the survival power company by supporting it with transformers and service lines to guarantee service delivery in the state worth over N3billion.
At a press conference,Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane ,disclosed that the support which spans six years was aimed at encouraging private sector businesses thrive in the state.
He expressed displeasure of the Governor Abubarkar Sani Bello administration over the disconnection of his office, state secretariat and the state water board by the power company.
He added:”It is however worrisome that after investing such amount of money for the procurement of transformers, service lines and others components AEDC infrastructure to ensure that electricity is connected to the various communities, the company disconnected some government facilities over alleged billions of naira debt”
He said the governor has directed that the services of a private Consultant be engaged to go round all government facilities to ascertain the genuineness of the debt claims by the power company.
Matane,who was also part of the immediate past dispensation,insisted that the debt profile incurred by the present administration may just be a little over N1 billion including about 50% inherited from the previous administration.
He added:”The state government pays nothing less than N46 million monthly as bill for the Chanchaga Water Works on power supply even when power is unstable. “We want to be sure, that is why we opted to engage consultant to verify all the claims by the AEDC”.
