Energy Briefs
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JOS Electricity Distribution Plc has said that it disconnected the Bauchi State Government facilities because it owed the company more than N1.6 billion electricity bills. Aminu Mohammed, DISCO’S business manager, Bauchi Business Unit, said of the amount Gubi Dam Treatment Plant owed the company N20 million.
Mohammed estimated the state monthly bill at N60 million, adding that the government “only pay N30 million monthly leaving the balance of N30 million. The bill has accumulated since 2007 and several meetings with the accountant-general, commissioner for finance, chief of staff to the governor and the governor himself did not yield any positive result. Hence, the management of the company finally decided to disconnect all state government establishments and that is why there is no water for the last two weeks,” he said.
Mohammed threatened that “the company is not going to reconnect the affected establishments until the debt is paid”, adding that inadequate finance had hindered the performance of the organisation to supply electricity because consumers refused to pay.
“The revenue is not enough to pay workers’ salaries, therefore, we want to reach an acceptable agreement with the government before we reconnect the establishments,” he added.
The company had in the last three weeks disconnected electricity from facilities belonging to the state, including water plants. Residents have resorted to fetching rain water to use for both domestic and commercial purposes while vendors make brisk business from selling water.
Aminu Gital, general manager, State Water Board, confirmed the indebtedness but declined to elaborate on the debt profile. “All our plants are in good condition but all have been disconnected from the national grid by Electricity Company and it is not economical to run them on generators,” he said.
— Aug 8, 2016 @ 01:00 GMT
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