How We Saved N10bn, Paid N600m Backlog Electricity Bills Within 100 Days In Office— Niger Govt

By Babatunde Solanke

Niger State Government has disclosed that the Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago-led administration has so far saved N10 billion, paid N600million backlog of electricity bills in its first 100 days in charge of the affairs of the state.

The State Head of Service, Alhaji Abubakar Salihu made this disclosure while speaking at a Media briefing to mark the first 100 days in office of the government.

Salihu stated that the incumbent administration of Governor Umar Bago has demonstrated financial discipline/ prudent which he said has led to the saving of the sum of  N10 billion.

According to him, the administration has also paid counterpart funds to all Development Partners in the state, and the payment of the N600 million backlogs of electricity bills of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) for all government parastatals accrued in the last administration.

He also explained further that the total debt profile of the state government to AEDC was N1.3 billion, adding that N500 million was paid by the immediate past former  Governor Abubakar Sani Bello.

The head of service added that plans were underway to remove government establishments that were energy demanding off AEDC.

In a related development, the Honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Malam Mu’azu Hamidu Jantabo, disclosed that the Local government areas in the state  have hitherto required an Overdraft of N3.9 billion to pay salaries to local government employees including teachers stressing that due to the political will of the present government and its focus on having a sustainable fiscal future for the state, it has been reduced to N2 billion and would be out of it by December, this year.

The commissioner highlighted that the present administration has also been able to pay part of the local government salary backlogs  for the year 2020.

Similarly, Commissioner for Communication and Digital  Economy, Malam  Suleiman Isah also disclosed that the state government was partnering with Google Developers Group to host 1,000 indigenous developers in November, adding that the State Executive  Council has agreed to domesticate ICT projects in the state.

According to him, the state government has proposed electronic document management for the State Executive Council (SEC) meetings which he said would be achieved before December this year, thereby making SEC meetings paperless going forward.

Also, the Commissioner for Information  and Strategy, Hon. Binta Mamman who Chaired the Media briefing,  stated that the present administration has recorded some remarkable achievements in its first 100 days in Office and acknowledged that more works would be done to ensure that  the desired results  is achieved.