Insecurity, Inadequate Power Supply Hindering Niger’s Industrial Dev’t, Says Coalition

Insecurity, epileptic electricity supply and bad roads are some of the problems hindering the industrial development of Niger State, the Niger State Coalition of Business and Professional Association has said.

The coalition also identified lack of stable water supply, multiple taxation, lack of access to credit facilities as other causes of the poor industrial growth of the state.

The Chairman of the coalition, Alhaji Mohammed Mukhtar Lawal, told newsmen in Minna on Saturday that the group has brought these problems to the attention of the government but regretted that not much is being done to address them.

Lawal said government was advised to fix the roads leading to the state, especially the Minna-Suleja and the Minna-Bida roads, in order to attract investors and boost industrialisation but submitted that though work has commenced on the construction of the roads, they are being executed at a very slow pace.

“Entrepreneurs cannot wait for eternity for government to put the infrastructure right, they will prefer to go to places where ready made roads are in place,” Lawal said, adding that: “Good road networks are critical to the Industrial growth of any society.”

He said the coalition had a dialogue with the state government on the need to improve the level of security in the state and got assurance that “something is being done”, adding that since the interface with the governor, things have gone from bad to worse especially in the rural areas, as “nobody will want to invest his resources in an unsafe climate”.

Though he commended government for the recent steps taken to improve security in the state, especially the ban on the operation of commercial motorcycles in the state capital, Lawal however said: “We (coalition) are waiting on the government to avail us of the gains of the policy.”

Lawal, who was flanked by other members of the coalition at the press briefing, also came down heavily on the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) for its poor performance in the state, pointing out that electricity supply to businesses and homes in the state has dropped to as low as two hours daily with some areas not getting supply at all for days, a development he said has made many businesses to seek alternative sources of energy which has automatically increased the cost of production.

The coalition said since the AEDC is in business it should provide pre-paid meters to its customers which he said will boost its revenue and also improve supply of electricity to the consumers.

The chairman said the group had met with officials of the state Board of  Internal Revenue during which recommendations were made to the organisation on the need for it to revisit its taxation policy, which is affecting businesses, stressing that: “We appeal to the Board to scale up action on the implementation of the recommended reforms.”

He also urged the state water board to service areas of the state without water reticulation because the state capital is expanding and small scale businesses are springing up in these new locations.