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State residents protest poor power supply

Niger state residents hit the streets to protest the poor state of power supply in the state.

Electricity pylons carry power from Cape Town's Koeberg nuclear power plant, South Africa. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

They protested the lack of power supply and exorbitant electricity  bills for nearly a year now. The protesters also stormed the Niger State House of Assembly Complex, protesting the lack of power supply in their area and incessant crazy bills from officials of the energy provider.

Some of the protesters said that the high monthly bills (from N6,000) did not reflect the epileptic power supply.

There are three major dams in Niger state. The Kainji Dam built in 1968, Jebba Dam built in 1985 and Shiroro Dam built in 1990. These are all hydroelectric dams that have been privatised since 2013 with hollow promises of bumper harvests according to the protesters.

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On Saturday, December 17, 2016, in Abuja President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that the Senate would look into disbursement of the N213 billion power sector intervention fund by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Saraki made this known in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Sanni Onogu.

Saraki, according to the statement, spoke during a special stake holders’ meeting to proffer solutions to the worsening electricity generation in the country.

He said the upper chamber would verify claims and counter claims of non-remittance of revenues between the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET), Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) and Generation Companies (Gencos).

Saraki urged the Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy to conduct a public hearing on this funds as well as on the declining electricity generation which currently stood at 3,000 megawatts.

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He said the public hearing should take a look at reasons behind the inability of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to effectively supervise and audit the electricity generation and distribution companies.

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