The government of Niger State has approved the sum of 536,944,754 naira to connect two local government headquarters with 33KVA direct line to the national grid after decades of abandonment.
The state’s Commissioner for Works, Transport and Rural Development, Abdulmalik Cheche, disclosed this to reporters on Monday after a State Executive Council meeting in Minna, the Niger State capital.
He explained that the approval was made as Mariga and Agwara local councils have never been connected to the national grid since their creation.
The Commissioner was optimistic that the completion of the projects at Bangi and Agwara, the headquarters of Mariga and Agwara respectively would have added value to the people and boost their economic productivity.
He regretted that the two local governments remained the only councils in Nigeria that were not connected to the national grid, despite Agwara’s proximity to Kanji Dam.
Mr Cheche further stressed the need for the project to alleviate the plight of the people of the areas, as other local governments were connected to 11KVA.
He stated that the contract would be completed at the stipulated time agreed so as to ensure its commissioning by January 2017.
The Commissioner disclosed that Mariga and Agwara projects cost 401,252,162 naira and 135,692,592 naira respectively.
He said that the Niger State government has never relented in the payment of its statutory 35 million naira monthly due to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) for its power consumption.
Cheche stated that contractors were given equal opportunity to bid for the contracts, adding that all due processes were followed in the award of the contracts.