Jos Electricity Distribution Plc. (JED), said it disconnected the Bauchi state government from its facilities because the government was owing it N1.6billion.

Its Business Manager, Alhaji Aminu Mohammed said the company had no option than to disconnect the state from its facilities for the N1.6 billion debt.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the company had in the last three weeks disconnected electricity from facilities belonging to the state, including water plants as residents had resorted to stream and rain water to for both domestic and commercial purposes. Mohammed said this in Bauchi during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said that of the amount, Gubi Dam Treatment Plant owed the company N20 million.

Mohammed said: “Government’s monthly bill is N60 million and they only pay us 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 were to no avail.

“Management of the company finally decided to disconnect all state government establishments and that is why there is no water for the past two weeks.

“The company is not going to reconnect the affected establishments until the debt is paid. “Inadequate finance had hindered the performance of the organization to supply electricity while consumers have refused to pay.

“The money realised from revenue is not enough to pay workers’ salaries, therefore, we want to reach an acceptable agreement with the government before we reconnect the establishments.”

Mr 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 the electricity company and it is not economical to run them on generators,” he added

Source: NEW TELEGRAPH