Abuja Electricity Disco Disconnects Niger Govt House, MDAs over N1.1bn Debt

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has disconnected electricity supply to the Niger state Government house, all Ministries, Departments and government Agencies. The disconnection, which took place yesterday, THISDAY findings, was as a result of accumulated debt put  at over N1.1billion.

The action, the second within three months, followed government’s breaching of an agreement it reached with the AEDC consultant Seamless Nigeria Limited and the leadership of the House of Assembly last July on how the debt owed AEDC will be liquidated.

In the agreement, government pledged to be reducing its debt by N274 million monthly in addition to paying the current bills. It was gathered from a source close to the AEDC that government paid only N274m for the month of July in addition to the current bill but has not paid the second tranche for August and September.

“It is a breach of agreement, government has not shown any seriousness that it will honour its part of the bargain” the source said.

Following the action of the AEDC all the government ministries and agencies including the government house, water board, the Minna General Hospital, IBB Specialised Hospital  have been thrown into blackout resulting in some of them   running their equipment on  generators.

No official of government was ready to comment on the development but the Public Relations Officer of the AEDC Mr. Mohammed Adamu when contacted confirmed the story.

Adamu said: “It is a directive from the consultants, our hands are tied.”