The Association of Nigeria Electricity Distributors (ANED) on Friday commended Federal Government over its promise to pay the N78.7 billion electricity debts owed Distribution Companies (DISCOs) by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government.
Mr Sunday Oduntan, the Executive Director of ANED, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
NAN reports that the Federal Government, on June 16, promised to pay the N78.7 billion electricity debts owed distribution companies by MDAs of government before the end of the year.
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, said this in Abuja, at a town hall forum organised by the Kukah Centre.
Fashola announced that the military, for instance, was already making plans to pay its debts.
Oduntan said that Fashola was a man of his words and the ANED believed that the money would be paid as promised by him.
He commended Fashola for his promise to assist DISCOs to off-load electricity bills owed by this class of consumers.
Oduntan said that the DISCOs would comment more on the matter only after the promise translates to cash.
“This is not the first time that such a promise will be made. It is good news but we can only react when it translates to cash,” he said.
The director said that MDAs were owing 11 DISCOs in the country over N93bn.
He said that the difference in the money owed was as a result of interest.
NAN reports that on May 21, ANED announced that all historic debtors, including residential, commercial, industrial and government establishments across the three tiers of government would be disconnected due to unpaid electricity bills.
ANED said that government establishments, including the military and security agencies alone, owed the DISCOs some N93 billion.