Former Senate leader, Ali Ndume, has applauded President Bola Tinubu for approving ₦68 billion operational support to the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP).
He stated that this would help reduce insecurity in the state.
The lawmaker representing Borno South, in a statement on Tuesday, hailed the federal government for responding to the long agitation of the people who have been at the receiving end of prolonged power outages.
He asserted that the federal government has successfully cut off the supply chain for the recruitment of able-bodied men by terrorists.
Senator Ndume noted that the restoration of electricity would add value to the economic life of the people, particularly in the informal sector of the economy.
He stressed that stable power will also complement the resilient efforts of the military in routing insurgents, who he noted are agents of darkness and thrive better in environments where there is no visibility, particularly at night.
He said, “I join the Borno State governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, and other well-meaning citizens of my state to express profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for this great gesture, aimed at ensuring stable electricity in the state.
“The fund released to the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant is a lifeline that would ultimately engender economic activities, particularly operations of medium and small-scale enterprises (SMEs).
“As the saying goes, an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. When the informal sector thrives in a place like Borno State, the government would have succeeded in cutting off the supply chain for recruitment of able-bodied men by the terrorists.”
The former Senate chief whip, however, called on the relevant federal and state agencies, the military, and the citizenry to ensure that power infrastructures were no longer destroyed, either by insurgents or the nefarious activities of vandals.
“It is to the eternal credit of the federal government that it has responded speedily to our lamentations over the power shortage.
“I urge our people to be vigilant and assist the security agencies in checking the excesses of vandals.
“We owe it a duty to safeguard the facilities, as the benefits of stable electricity are numerous.
“When power is restored, it will boost economic activities and improve livelihoods. It will also strengthen efforts to address security challenges,” he added.