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.