National Theatre power supply disconnected over N9m debt
(Nigeria) The Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc, EKEDC, on Sunday said that electricity supply to the National Arts Theatre in Lagos was disconnected because its management failed to pay over N9 million debt.
Mr Idemudia Godwin, General Manger, Media Communications of
EKEDC, said in Lagos that the complex was disconnected after several appeals
and demand notices went unheeded.
According to him, the debt is an accumulation of unpaid
bills over time.
``We don’t disconnect without serving notice. Besides, we
recently ran a newspaper advertisement informing all ministries, departments
and parastatal agencies (MDAs)of government that were indebted to EKEDC of our
intention to disconnect them.
``We have commenced disconnection of all historic debtors
that include: residential, commercial, industrial and government establishments
within our network,’’ he said.
The EKEDC spokesman said that the astronomical indebtedness
by some customers was taking its toll on the company.
This had seriously been impacting negatively on the entire
value chain in the power sector equation, he said.
According to him, only 25 per cent of this debt actually
belongs to DISCOs, the rest are for other companies in the value chain-
generating companies, bulk traders, gas suppliers, among others.
``So if you do not pay and you accumulate debt, what you are
looking at is a possible total collapse of the entire power sector. That is
what we seek to avert by this action. We need this fund to energies the power
sector; to ensure electricity supply and to grow the sector,’’ Idemudia said.
He stated that the operations of all distribution companies
were hampered by huge indebtedness by the ``historic debtors.”
An official of the National Arts Theatre who did not want his
name mentioned confirmed that electricity supply to the complex had been
disconnected for close to a week.
The source said that the ongoing programme in one of the
theatre’s halls was been powered by generator.
However, efforts to speak with the management of the theatre
failed as they did not pick calls made to their cell phones.
The disconnection had affected business activities around
the National Arts Theatre complex.
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