Niger State Government is demanding for 13 per cent derivation in the allocation of electricity generated from the nation’s three Hydro-electricity Dams located in the state.

The state governor, Alh Abubakar Sani Bello, made the demand yesterday in Minna at a crucial stakeholders meeting with representatives of communities hosting the dams, companies in power generation, transmission and distribution.

The state, which has been in virtual blackout for close to three months now, has seen business and domestic activities paralysed without any convincing reason to that effect from the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

Worried by the potential threat to peace and security which the incessant blackout poses to the state, Governor Sani Bello convened the meeting with a view to identifying and finding solutions to the problem as it affects the state.

The governor, who described the situation as disturbing, noted that though the state is host to three hydropower Dams supplying electricity to the country, it has been witnessing constant power outages hence the need to demand that certain percentage of the total electricity generated be allocated to the state.

Governor Sani Bello faulted the equitable distribution of power from the National grid stressing that the era of equitable sharing of the country’s endowments was, unfortunately, long gone. “Something extra should be given to the state, which is what the host communities and my people are saying,” he added.

He disclosed that the state government had continued to manage the people’s anger, frustration and protests with the hope that the situation would get better but that it was, instead, getting worse thereby making them feel hopeless.

According to him, to have people react in protest over an issue or to have them believe that it is only when they protest that they can get what they want is a dangerous trend that poses serious security threat to any society hence the need to improve on power supply to the state as the people appear to be running out of patience.

Governor Sani Bello disclosed that the state was looking at other options of generating enduring power to its people including but not limited to establishing an embedded thermal plant or mini hydropower dams across the state that would generate 1-10 megawatts of electricity.

•Photo shows Governor Sani Bello.

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