N9m electricity debt plunges National Theatre into darkness

The Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc (EKEDC) has disconnected electricity supply to the National Arts Theatre in Lagos as a result of over N9 million debt.

Idemudia Godwin, general manager, media communications of EKEDC, said 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,” he told NAN.

“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.”

The EKEDC spokesman said the astronomical indebtedness by some customers was taking its toll on the company.

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,” he said.

“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.”

He said 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, told NAN that 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 has affected business activities around the National Arts Theatre complex.

Last week, Sunday Odutan, executive director, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), decried the huge indebtedness of government establishments and military formations to the distribution companies.

He gave the statistics of indebtedness of the distribution companies as follows –Abuja DISCO: N18.6 billion; Eko DISCO: N8.6 billion; Kaduna: N8.2 billion and Enugu: N7.2 billion.

Others are Ibadan: N6.8 billion; Ikeja, N5.9 billion; Port Harcourt, N6.8 billion; Benin: N5.8 billion; Jos: N6.5 billion; Yola: N2.4 billion and Kano: N1.2 billion.