By Mohammed Yangida, Lafia Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa state has made a passionate appeal to the federal government to improve the state of electricity in the state.
He made the appeal on Wednesday while playing host to the minister of power, works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola in Lafia.
Al-Makura said Nasarawa is the only state in the country that is still using 33KVA power line and the same 33 KVA is used to supply to other towns and hinterland.
He therefore, called for the step down of 330KV that passed through Lafia from Enugu -Makurdi and Jos in plateau state, saying power is one of the critical problems that Nasarawa state is facing.
His words, “As a whole state capital, we do not have any power more than 33KVA
“And what is even more disheartening and very big paradox in our lives is that as a state we have the 330KV line that passes through Lafia from Enugu to Makurdi and to Jos.
“But because we have been the orphan state the state that we are so neglected there was no any effort to drop the 330KV line which passed just on top of the Government house but still Jos plateau state already has 330KV coming from Zaria is having another 330KV.
“And each time we made request for dropping of the 330KV line it was one complaint or the other so we were left to our fate as a state that is neglected and stagnant “Almakura said.
He also pointed out that the state did not benefit from the electricity project because the state did not belong to the ruling party at that time and now that the state is in the same political party with the federal government “it is our turn to benefit “.
Al-Makura further said that the state is in a hurry to develop hence the need for the federal government to assist, saying the state has no single asphalt road since when he came to power in 2011.
Speaking earlier, the Minister for power, works and Housing Babatunde Raji Fashola said the federal government through his ministry is determined to provide good road networks, power and housing to the people of Nigeria particularly those states that were neglected by the previous administrations in the country.
He therefore called on states to collaborate with the federal government in ensuring the early commencement and completion of the federal government’s projects in their states.
”We are here to see possibilities about power, housing development and road networking and to speak to you about the progress that has been made with regard to the letter I sent to you about the provision for the land in the state capital where we can intervene at the national level for housing “Fashola said.
