By Stephen Ojo
The Niger State House of Assembly has given legislative backing for the state government to pull out of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) over epileptic and poor electricity supply in the state.
The Assembly at its plenary session on Tuesday directed Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to immediately start negotiations with another electricity distribution company towards getting the state back on better electricity supply terms.
Krestnews reliably learnt that the lawmakers passed vote of no confidence on the AEDC after its management led by the Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Okwuokenye Chijioke, alleged that the epileptic power supply to the state is due to the N3 billion debts owed the company.
Speaker of the Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji however expressed displeasure over the situation of poor electricity supply in the state despite the fact that Niger State is hosting four hydro power stations which he said contribute 60 percent of electricity to the national grid.
He said, ” there is no justification whatsoever for the State not to enjoy a minimum of 18 hours of electricity supply in a day. The people of the Niger State have been pushed to the wall and will no longer tolerate the continue black out of the state by the distribution company”.
Speaking while appearing before the lawmakers on Tuesday, the AEDC Chief Operating Officer , Mr. Okwuokenye Chijioke said that the company is not unaware of the complaints by the people over the poor power supply but blamed the situation on poor payment culture by the consumers.
According Mr Chijioke, ” the distribution company only realized 60 percent of energy supply to the people in the state. The company is losing enormous energy as a result of non payment of energy consumed by the people”.
He further reiterated that “the consumers in the state are owing AEDC well over N3 billion which is huge. AEDC as a private company buys the energy from the transmission company to sell to the public, due to lack of payment, the company was loosing enormous energy”.