Kebbi State, Governor Abubakar Atiku, Tuesday, in Birnin Kebbi, flagged off the National Mass Metering Programme, organised by the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDCO).
Speaking at the event, Bagudu said the initiative cannot come at better time than now when the people of the state and other Nigerians were in dire need of more stable power supply.
The Kebbi State Governor congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari for the feat, describing the mass metering initiative as very important.
Bagudu also lauded President Buhari for the initiative, saying that it would solve the lingering problems of dismal power supply.
Bagudu recalled that he was always overwhelmed with comments and complaints of ineduaquate power supply, adding, “such issues always agitate our minds.”
He said the privatisation done some years ago in the power sector had brought about some teething problems, even as he noted that some of the problems were being resolved.
“However, we are not yet where we want to be. Discos are not recovering money for the electricity they supply, as they only make about thirty per cent collections,” he said.
“With nearly seventy percent monthly revenues uncollected, the firms cannot provide 24 hour power supply as demanded by the customers, because they cannot also meet their expectations to the GENCOs.
“I am a Director in the NDPHC, representing North West and it generates 35 per cent of Nigeria’s electricity , totalling nearly 4000 MWs and the DISCOs cannot take the electricity produced, with over 2000 MWs, unused.”
Bagudu further disclosed that, disturbed by the ugly development, the state government partnered KAEDCO and TCN and a company christened, Halisa Nig. Ltd.
According to him, people of the state were now the better for it, as the hitherto obnoxious development had been tremendously reversed.
The Managing Director of KAEDCO, Engineer Garba Haruna, promised to provide meters to all the customers in their areas of franchise.
Haruna described Kebbi as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria, adding, “Kebbi is an environment for all bussinesses and we are happy to do business here.”
He disclosed that the firm would install no fewer than 500,000 meters, while over 2,000 Kebbi youths will be employed and trained to undertake the installations, as well as other related jobs.
The Special Adviser on Power, Alhaji Yusuf Haruna Rashid, commended Gov Bagudu for sustainably spending huge amount of money to ensure steady supply of electricity to the people of the state.
Rashid solicited for more allocations of power to the state by KAEDCO and reduction of electricity tariff as a mark of appreciation of the unwavering commitment of Gov Bagudu to their routine operations.
