By Suleiman Yakubu

The Niger State House of Assembly has resolved to summon the area manager of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) over alleged breaches of contractual obligations to electricity consumers in the state. The decision followed a motion presented by Hon. Sani Umar, representing Kontagora I Constituency, who decried AEDC's operational practices as exploitative and in violation of the Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) Act of 2023.
During the session, Umar criticised AEDC for compelling local communities to fund repairs and maintenance of critical electricity infrastructure, such as transformers and cables—costs he argued should be borne by the company. Drawing parallels with the privatisation of NITEL, which paved the way for telecom companies like MTN and Airtel, he highlighted the expectation that privatised entities like AEDC maintain service quality without burdening consumers. "This is a clear violation of the NERC Act and an undue socio-economic burden on families already grappling with high living costs," Umar stated.
The Assembly unanimously adopted the motion to summon the AEDC manager, who will be required to address these allegations and explain the company’s actions.
In a related move, the Assembly called on the Niger State Government to implement an upward review of pensions for retired civil servants. This resolution followed a motion by Hon. Ahmed Mohammed of Edati Constituency, who emphasised the inadequacy of current pensions, some as low as ₦3,000 per month.
While commending Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago for disbursing long-overdue gratuities, Mohammed stressed that the paltry pensions were insufficient to meet the basic needs of retirees, many of whom face escalating medical and living costs. "An upward revision of pensions is necessary to ensure dignity and support for our senior citizens," Mohammed argued, citing Section 210, Subsection (3) of the 1999 Constitution.
The Assembly unanimously backed the motion, urging the executive arm to prioritise the welfare of retired civil servants through a revised pension structure. With these motions, the Niger State House of Assembly has underscored its commitment to addressing pressing socio-economic challenges and safeguarding the welfare of its citizens.

By Suleiman Yakubu

I often find myself puzzled by the fascination some people have with bad news. It's perplexing to think that not only do they seem to relish in such negativity, but that they might even fabricate it, particularly when it concerns the well-being of loved ones and those close to them. A recent event illustrates this perfectly: Farmer Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State set out on a mission to inspect various state government projects in the Niger North senatorial zone, fondly known as Zone C, on Thursday, November 28, 2024. Since his departure, he visited five local governments, including those in Wushishi, Kontagora, Mashegu, Rijau, and Mariga, and even ventured into the Niger East Senatorial zone, known as Zone B, stopping in Rafi Local Government, which conveniently lies along the way to Kontagora Local Government.
Despite a journey that unfolded smoothly, with moments that were both invigorating and enriching, the rumour mill churned with baseless mischief. Some individuals went to great lengths to spread stories in the media claiming that Governor Bago's entourage had fallen victim to a bandit attack, complete with exaggerated tales of bullet-ridden cars. Thankfully, this supposed turmoil was nothing more than fiction. Gratitude is due to God Almighty, for the trip was peaceful and uplifting from start to finish, a testament to the disconnect between reality and the tales woven by those who seem to thrive on chaos and unfounded drama.
Although there have been only two incidents since the commencement of the tour. The first incident was a minor accident that occurred just before reaching Zungeru, in the Wushishi Local Government Area, at a location where road construction was ongoing. The accident was triggered by a substantial amount of dust stirred up by the governor's motorcade, leading to obscured vision for the drivers following behind. Consequently, about three cars collided with one another from the rear. Thankfully, as the vehicles were travelling at a manageable speed, no lives were lost, nor was anyone injured in the mishap.
The second incident took place Monday, in the stretch between the bushes of Mashegu and Kontagora. This occurred after the governor had inspected the road project in Igede, located in Mashegu Local Government, and subsequently visited Mashegu town, which is the administrative centre of Mashegu Local Government, to review the renovated Local Government Secretariat. After these inspections, the Governor was advised to take a shorter route to reach Kontagora rather than returning via the Igede road he originally came from.
Unfortunately, this shorter path was excessively overgrown with bushy vegetation, and several vehicles struggled to navigate through.
Governor Bago's convoy was never attacked at any point during his extensive statewide tour meant for project inspections. Throughout his journey, there was no incident of security personnel exchanging fire with any other forces, such as local security or vigilante groups, under the mistaken belief that they were threats to the state. The notion of such an attack exists solely in the imagination of those who fabricated the false story.
Waziri is the Coordinator Press Affairs to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State.