The Niger State Government has lambasted the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company over its failure to keep to an agreement reached, saying: “The AEDC is intentionally denying the state of electricity.”
The Deputy Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Mohammed Ketso, said at a town hall meeting on Tuesday, with the topic: “Epileptic Power Supply, Prepaid Meters: The way forward,” organised by the Niger State Government committee on AEDC monitoring and sensitization, that the state will not support the agitation for the people to pay the electricity bills when the Distribution Company is not supplying the electricity.
According to Ketso: “The state can no longer rely on the promises of AEDC which they do not intend to keep.
“They are intentionally denying the state of electricity.
“It is an intentional act that AEDC is not supplying us in Niger State with electricity.
“You are not giving us light and you want us to support you.
“It is not possible.
“We cannot support what you are doing to our people.
“You keep promising and doing nothing.
“We cannot keep going back and front.
“Please AEDC, we need light.
“Once you make light available for us, we can assure you that our people will pay their bills.
“But the random light you give to us with estimated billings, we will not pay.
“Give our people what they deserve.
“Give us electricity.
“At least 13 to 14 hours daily.”
Earlier in his explanation, the AEDC General Manager of Corporate Communications, Oyebode Fadipe, appealed for understanding from the government and the people, saying the amount of energy allocated to them is not enough for the states they serve.
According to Fadipe: “The amount of energy we receive is not enough for the population.
“Over the years, the population has grown, but the power sector has not grown in anyway.”
Also, aggrieved youths in the state have vowed to emulate their Niger Delta counterparts by grounding activities of the three Hydro Electric Power Dams in the state if power supply is not improved.
The youths, while reeling out their anger, vowed: “If power supply does not increase to at least 18 hours, we will do what our brothers in the Niger Delta region did and are enjoying amnesty today.
“We will shut down the dams and seek for amnesty too.”
One of the aggrieved youths, Isa Lapene, said: “We have three functional dams in Jebba, Kainji and Shiroro, yet we are suffering.
“One day, we shall stop them.
“They must know the difference between Government and individuals.
“Instead of the government to continue in the donation of transformers and supporting AEDC with our resources, please leave us in darkness.
“We are demanding that such funds be channelled towards developing our local government areas.”
Also, the Campaign for Democracy in a statement signed by its Niger State Chairman, Comrade Abdullahi Jabi, warned that it will mobilize one million people against the AEDC.
According to Jabi: “We will organise and mobilize one million Nigerlites for a peaceful protest march against the management of AEDC against the crazy and estimated billing system and offering us darkness instead of light.”