Niger releases N274m to AEDC, power supply restored

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has restored power supply to Niger Government, Ministries, Departments and Agencies after the payment of N274 million electricity bills.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AEDC on Aug. 26, disconnected the Government House, ministries and health institutions over unpaid electricity bills totalling N1.3 billion.

Alhaji Mahamud Keni, Niger Regional Manager, AEDC, told the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Minna on Tuesday that the government had agreed to be paying N100 million monthly to settle the outstanding debt of N1.3 billion.

“The company received the sum of N200 million outstanding debts of N1.3 billion unpaid bills that accumulated before now and N74 million monthly current bill for August.

“We have since restored power supply to the Government House, hospitals, ministries as well various departments, institutions and hospitals across the state.

“We hope the state government would sustain its obligation by ensuring prompts payment of N100 million monthly as agreed to settle the outstanding debts”, he said.

Keni, reiterated the company’s determination to continue to provide qualitative service through the provision of a constant power supply for the overall development of the state.

When contacted, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Ahmed Matane, told NAN by telephone that N274 million had been released to the company.

“We have paid N200 million outstanding debts and N74 million current monthly electricity bills.

“I am very shocked over the disconnection of power supply by the company to government agencies bearing in mind the modest contribution to the development of the power sector by the present administration in the state.

“We have invested more than N13 billion on the procurement of transformers and other facilities to support the company to improve power supply power.

“We have done that in good faith in the last seven years to enable the company to perform optimally,” Matane said.

Matane also said that for the company to take the decision to disconnect government organisations over the outstanding debts was surprising.

NAN reports that there has been a marked improvement in electricity supply, especially in different parts of the state due to the installation of assorted facilities by the AEDC worth more than N500 million.