AEDC Disconnects Niger Govt House, MDAs, Hospitals Over N1.3billion Debt

Following an indebtedness to the tune of about N1.3Billion for electricity supply to Government House, Minna, the State Secretariat housing ministries, departments and agencies of the state government and the General Hospital, Minna, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, (AEDC) has embarked on disconnections of the aforementioned designated places with the view to force the state government to pay up it’s accumulated electricity bills within the shortest possible time.

AEDC Public Relations Officer in the state, Adamu Dantani informed Journalists on Friday in Minna that the decision to embark on disconnections of public Institutions including the Government House, Minna and hospitals including private Organizations and private individuals residents in Minna and its environs last Wednesday was following a Task Force set up by AEDC’s board and management saddled with the disconnection order to recover all the outstanding debts running into several Billions of naira being owed the company by customers in the state.

Mr Dantani explained that seven days’ notice was issued to the state government to settle its accumulated bills, but allegedly failed to meet its obligation.

He explained that the state House of Assembly had four months ago intervened between the company and the executive arm of the government and an agreement was reached for government to settle at least about 80 per cent of the debt.

He said, “To date, there was no any commitment from the state government.

“We took the action after being pushed to the wall by the state government for not keeping its words after the intervention of the state Assembly four months ago,” said Mr Adamu Dantani.

The AEDC Image Maker, however, stated that the government had in the last three months been paying N74 million monthly of its current bill, adding that the N1.3 billion was unpaid bills that accumulated before now.

“We don’t have any option than to disconnect their services and concentrate on our teaming loyal consumers in and outside the metropolis.”

Mr Dantani appreciated consumers for ensuring prompt payments of their electricity bills, stressing that the company had added seven transformers and spent over N500million to improve the power supply.

Other public institutions affected by the disconnection include the state Water Board, schools, all General hospitals, the office of the Secretary to the State Government( SSG) Ahmed Ibrahim Matane and that of the Head of Service, among others.

Meanwhile, the development has led to an increase in the cost of water in Minna by 50 per cent, as water vendors now collect N300.00 – N450.00 as against N700 for a truck of 10 jerrycans of 20litres each of water.

However, when contacted by our reporter, the Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, in an interview by telephone said that he was on his way to Kontagora for an official assignment, adding that he was yet to be briefed officially about the electricity disconnection order in his office, the government house and other public Institutions in Minna by AEDC, insisting that he was not aware of the disconnection.