EEDC seeks NASS intervention over FG’s N4.4bn debts

The management of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), yesterday urged members of the National Assembly and other stakeholders to prevail on the federal government to settle the N4.4 billion electricity bills of its Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the South-East.
EEDC’s acting Managing Director, Mr. Paul Okeke, who made the appeal in Enugu, explained that the payment of the debt became imperative in order to keep the operations of the company running.
He further explained that the debt whoch has been outstanding since 2016, is not part of 2017 bill yet to be settled by the MDAs.
Okeke added that bulk of the debt owed by the MDAs stemmed from electricity consumed by military formations in the zone.
He noted the high debt profile of electricity consumers in the zone saying that the huge debt had been slowing down the company’s capacity to improve on its services to customers.
Okeke, said another major challenge confronting the company was energy theft, according to him: “we lose billions of Naira each month to energy theft by people and it seems like the theft is currently endemic’’.
“We are constantly deploying new technology to prevent energy theft, but it seems that those behind this retrogressive act always look for new ways to perpetrate their evil intentions.
“I will implore the National Assembly to enact a law that will put stringent penalty on people that engage in energy theft. In the same vein, I will like the legislature to establish a special court for prosecution of those who engage in the act,” he added.