The Zamfara government has settled a debt of N1 billion owed to the Kaduna Electric Distribution Company.

The government also expanded the mandates of the newly established Zamfara Electrification Agency to include improving power supply to unserved and underserved communities in the state.

The pioneer executive secretary of ZEA, Muzammil Idris, disclosed this in Gusau on Thursday.

Mr Idris said Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration has freed the state from the debt, which has always been an obstacle to the expected rapid development of government activities to improve the state economy.

He noted that the lack of energy in Zamfara had affected the key development sectors, such as health, education, security and agriculture, adding that these sectors were considered integral parts of economic development in any society.

According to him, the agency has already drafted a 10-year working plan and implementation strategy.

“The immediate plan on my table from the main draft is to ensure restoration of energy across the 14 local government areas of the state. I am to also ensure that places that have not been on the national grid were connected within three months.

“I had a meeting with the chairman of the Kaduna Electricity Governing Board, and we looked into taking possible measures to restore power supply across the state. That gave me an opportunity to constitute a committee for assessment and implementation of the said planned electrification project for the benefiting communities.

“After the completion of the project, my agency will ensure implementation of the national metering policy to help sanitise both the electrification services and the revenue generation by the KEDCO,” Mr Idris said.

(NAN)