Niger State Head of Service, HoS, Abubakar Salisu, has revealed that the State Government has so far expended over N18 billion in supporting the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, in discharging its duties within the last eight years.
Salisu made this known this while addressing newsmen on the outcome of State Executive Council meeting in Minna.
He stated that the money was invested on the purchase of transformers across 25 local government areas (LGAs) and expanding the scope of AEDC network, among others.
The HoS lamented that despite the efforts of the state government, its facilities are not exempted from incessant electricity disconnection by the AEDC .
He also disclosed that the state government has within the period under review expended over N3 billion on Southern Lapai, in Lapai LGA, towards providing relief to communities in the area.
According to him, “Initially Niger State Government inherited over N4 billion legacy debt but after setting up of a committee to verify the AEDC claims, the state government arrived at N1.3 billion.
” The last administration had paid N500 million to AEDC while the present administration settled the remaining N800 million balance. Therefore, Niger State Government is no longer owing the AEDC.”
However, the HoS decried the exorbitant bills issued by AEDC to government establishments, especially the Chanchaga Water Works which is being billed N50 million monthly.
He also disclosed that AEDC presented a bill of N17 million to Kwasau Primary School, which has only one ceiling fan in the headmaster’s office.
“Another example is the Speaker’s residence built during the era of former Governor Auwal Ibrahim that was abandoned for almost 40 years. Surprisingly, AEDC billed the residence over N8 million,” he added.
The HoS disclosed that the state government is planning to disconnect most of its energy demanding establishments from the AEDC network for administrative convenience.
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