By Awaal Gata
Abuja
The senator representing Niger South, Mustapha Sani Mohammed, has thrown his weight behind Niger state Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello’s demand for 13 per cent derivation allocation of electricity to the state “because it is the country’s source of power.”
Governor Bello demanded that 13 per cent of power be given to Niger state aside from its normal share from the national grid during a stakeholders’ meeting held as a result of almost total blackout in the state since almost three months ago.
However, in a statement issued by the senator’s Senior Legislative Aide, Mohammed Usman, after a courtesy call to former President Ibrahim Babangida in Minna alongside the House of Representatives’ Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, he described the governor’s demand as “judicious, if not for the fact that power is being sourced from the state, at least for the challenges and problems meted on the people and the environment as a result of power generation and location of dams.”
According to the senator, the 13 per cent derivation given to Niger Delta from oil revenue in view of the degradations suffered by the region because of oil exploration is “fully judicious,” but the same treatment should be given to Niger state in terms of power.
The statement partly read: “Niger state is the country’s source of power. Shiroro, Jebba andKainji dams, where power is being generated for the country are all located in the state, hence it is with utmost dismay that, all over the years, that no special treatment or consideration is given to the state both in terms of allocation of power from the national grid and in terms of power revenue.
“It is against the backdrop of this that I declare my support for my Governor, Alhaji AbubakarSani Bello’s recent demand that 13 percent of the power generated in the country be given to the state beside its normal share.”
