Niger Govt  Promises To Pay Debts To AEDC Over Power Supply

… Says Over N3 billion has been invested on Transformers, Service Lines and other  AEDC Properties

By Olabode Adaramola

Niger State Government has said it has  invested well over N3 billion for the provision of transformers, service lines and others in Abuja Electricity Didtribution Company’s ( AEDC’s)  infrastructures to ensure the provision of electricity supply to various communities in the state in the  past six years of the incumbent All Progressive Congress (APC) -led  administration in the State.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG)Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane stated this while briefing newsmen in his office on Wednesday at the Government House in Minna, adding that the gesture saying was aimed at encouraging private sector to strive and responsive in parts of the state as a responsible government.

Matane while responding to the disconnection of government facilities including his own office among others which includes the Minna Water Works at Chanchaga, State Secretariat  Minna and the Minna General Hospital  due to alleged debts by the state government to the tune of about  N1.7 billion which was however debunked by the SSG,  refuted but the SSG who explained that the government  was oweing the AEDC a  little over N1 billion which include 50percent of the debt nsaid to have been inherited from the immediate past PDP- led administration of former Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu .

He stated further  that the state government had been expending about N46 million on monthly basis to pay A EDC for power  supply to Chanchaga Water Works by AEDC as electricity bills just as he said the state government was considering the hiring a Consultant to verify the claims of the AEDC’s billings to the  the government for it’s services.

The SSG further revealed that the government has sustained its payment of the current bills and upsetting the outstanding ones , just as  he lamented that the company was still billing some old and non existing structures to the detriment of the state government .

He however assured that the facilities would be reconnected before Friday this week especially the Minna Water Works at Chanchaga  at the end of the ongoing negotiations between the Government and the AEDC  adding that there was no crisis between the two bodies,  noting  that over N10 billion has been spent on electrification from previous government to date.