The Northeast Governors’ Forum (NEGF) has decried the state of power supply in the region which it gets only five per cent of electricity from the national grid.
The forum expressed its view in a communique issued at the end of its meeting in Gombe on Friday
Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni who read the communique said the region accounts for 14 per cent of the country’s population and 30 per cent of the nation’s landmass, adding that the five per cent power supply allocated to it was inadequate.
“The forum, again expressed concern on the parlous state of power supply in the North-east region, which at present receives less than 5 per cent of national allocation of grid energy while accounting for 14 per cent of the population and 30 per cent of landmass.
“While noting the direct correlation between energy, security and high level of poverty and our GDP status, it called on the federal government to introduce innovative strategies by investing in the production of comparatively cheaper hydropower and renewable energies.
“Related to this, the federal government is called upon to accelerate the execution of the Mambila hydroelectricity project,” Buni said.
The forum also expressed concern on the devastating floods destroying homes and livelihood including roads in the zone, and urged the federal government to urgently direct its relevant agencies to immediately deploy necessary interventions to ameliorate the situation.
