DEBTS: PHCN CLAMPS DOWN ON MILITARY/GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS

By Kunle Kalejaye
IN an effort to recover its over N8 billion debt profile the Eko Electricity Distribution Company has warned that stiffer measures will henceforth be taken against all military and government establishments currently in its debt book.

Speaking to newsmen during a media interactive session at the company's headoffice in Marina area of Lagos, the CEO Mr. Oladele Amoda said that three weeks ultimatum has been given to the affected military and government institutions to either start paying or face disconnection.

'Three weeks ultimatum has been given to the affected military and government institutions. If they fail to meet our dead line, their names will be published and we will disconnect them from power supply. We have been empowered by the presidency to disconnect them' he said.

Amoda gave kudos to the Nigerian Navel and the Nigeria Air Force for their prompt response in paying their electricity bill adding that other customers aside from the military and government establishments were responsible for the N8 billion debts within the Eko distribution network.

He also noted that N8 billion debt is the least in the owed by customers in all the 11 distribution companies across the nation.

'This is the least owed by customers in all the 11 distribution companies across the nation. Other distribution companies are being owed well above N10 billion each and if you add these together, the debt profile is well over N100 billion,' he said.

In his presentation, the company's AGM Customer Service, Mr F.M. Sadiku, gave the breakdown of the debt as N3,494,803,054 for commercial consumers; N579,435,995.73 for industrial consumers; N68,268,847.62 for street lighting; N257,249,305.77 for special tariff customers and N3,561,136,928.94 for residential consumers.

He disclosed that Eko distribution network had a customer population of 314,761 out of which 5,260 were maximum demand customers; 237,770 as residential customers, while 71,731 were commercial customers.

Despite being given annual budget to cover their electricity bills, Amoda noted that the military and other government institutions were responsible for 65 percent of the debts which might hinder the progress of the transformation agenda of the Jonathan administration.