April 10, 2018

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has appealed to the Federal Government to settle the N4.4 billion debts owed it by the federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) within the South-East.

The Acting Managing Director of EEDC, Mr Paul Okeke, made the appeal while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Enugu.

“As at 2015/2016 what we had as outstanding debts in our books against the MDAs was N4.4 billion which has yet to be paid.

“The debts are still accumulating since the outstanding bills from 2017 till date is not part of the N4.4 billion,’’ Okeke said.

He said that the bulk of the debt was owned by military formations within the zone.

The acting managing director said that the debt profiles of all strata of the company’s customers had remained huge.

He noted that the huge debt had been reducing the capacity of the company to improve its services to its numerous customers.

The EEDC boss called for the intervention of the National Assembly in making government see reasons to settle the debt to keep the operations of the company running optimally.

Okeke said that energy theft had remained another big challenge faced by the company.

According to him, EEDC loses billions of naira each month due to energy theft.

“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 deeds.

“I will implore the national assembly to enact a law that will stipulate stringent penalty for people that engage in energy theft.

“In the same vein, I would like the legislature to establish a special court for the prosecution of those who engage in energy theft,’’ he said.