ABUJA Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has threatened to disconnect electricity in the Presidential Villa, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and other Federal Government ministries, departments and agencies over their refusal to pay over N47 billion outstanding debts as of December 2023.
The AEDC made this known on Monday, February 19, in a public notice sighted by The ICIR.
In the list of the debtor MDAs are the Chief of Defence Staff – Barracks and Military Formations owing N12 billion, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of State Petroleum, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Agriculture.
The debtors also include the Ministry of Education, CBN governor’s office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Budget and Planning, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Interior, and Ministry of Transport.
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While issuing a notice of disconnection to the affected MDAs through an advertorial, AEDC said, “The management of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has given a ten days’ notice to 86 government agencies to pay up the N47.1bn electricity debt they owe or risk disconnection.
“The Abuja Electricity Distribution PLC is constrained to do this publication with the details of government, ministries, departments, and agencies with long outstanding unpaid bills for services rendered to them through the provision of electricity supply in that our previous attempts to make them honour their obligations have not achieved the desired results.”
The firm also urged the MDAs to pay up before the disconnection time slated for Wednesday, February 28, 2024.
“The relevant MDAs are hereby given notice that the AEDC shall, after the expiration of ten days from the date of this publication, that is, after Wednesday, February 28, 2024, embark on the disconnection of our services to them until they discharge their obligations to us by paying their debts.
The ICIR reported how MDA debts were worsening liquidity in Nigeria’s power sector, a major concern that has seen investors turn a blind eye to Nigeria’s privatised power sector.
In most cases, rather than pay up, the MDAs have employed a strategy of disputing the debts and calling for audits and reconciliation of bills over several years.
Consequently, the DISCOs owe other power sector stakeholders and have transferred the cost to ordinary citizens through estimated billing and other unfair practices.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.