Darkness Spreads As TCN Disconnect Power Companies Over Outrageous Debts

Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has continued to disconnect power companies over outrageous debts. More electricity consumers across the country continued to suffer power outage, while some others are jittery.

The Managing Director of the IBEDC, Engr. Kingsley Achife, noted that the development was as a result of the plan by the Market Operator, a unit in Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to disconnect the power company’s feeders from the national grid on account of poor remittances.

He added: “As a revenue collection arm of the electricity value chain, IBEDC sells and distributes electricity. However, the company is unable to meet its financial obligations due to poor payment and huge outstanding bills by customers.

He also explained that IBEDC, as a responsible corporate organisation, prioritises providing reliable and excellent service to its esteemed customers, but needs timely payment for the energy consumed.

The Chairman, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Kebbi State, Dr. Abdullahi Bello Umar, bemoaned the prolonged blackout in Birnin Kebbi, calling on government as well as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to wade into the matter and sanction whoever is responsible for the anti-masses decision and ensure restoration of power supply.

“Nigeria is not an animal farm and as such, its citizens should not be subjected to untold hardships. Their economic, security and social lives must be guaranteed. Such is the primary function of government and its functionaries and any other individual or corporate body providing basic necessity whether public or private.

“We demand immediate restoration of power supply and an apology from the management of Kaduna Electric for this brazen abuse of rights of the citizens as such attitude contradicts the ethos of a civilized society,” he said.