Presidential Villa, Others Face Disconnection Over N923Million Electricity Debt

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) has issued a warning of potential power disconnection for the Presidential Villa in Abuja and various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) due to an accumulated debt of N47.1 billion. Specifically, the Presidential Villa itself is reported to owe N923,873,150 in unpaid electricity charges.

In a notice disseminated on Monday, the AEDC disclosed the outstanding electricity debts of government entities as recorded in December 2023, setting a 10-day ultimatum for these debts to be settled. Failure to comply by February 28, 2024, would result in a power cut-off for the affected institutions.

The document by the AEDC expressed the company’s frustration over the prolonged non-payment for services rendered, stating, “It was constrained to publish the details of the debts which had lasted for long.” The company emphasized that “the publication of the unpaid electricity bill became imperative because its previous attempts to make them honour their obligations have not achieved the desired result.”

Furthermore, the budget approved under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari for the year 2023 allocated N35.9 million specifically for the Presidential Villa’s electricity charges. A notable allocation of N4.9 billion for the maintenance of Presidential Villa electricity was also made in 2018 during Buhari’s presidency.

In defense of the budget allocations for the Villa’s electricity maintenance, the Director-General of the Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze, was quoted saying, “The Villa is quite an expansive edifice with several residences and support services, so as significant as N4.9 billion sounds it is not too much to keep those facilities in top shape that they have been kept. Anyone who has been to the villa will appreciate that it is one of the best maintained edifices in the country.”

Additionally, in December 2023,  President Bola Tinubu’s administration has allocated N37.9 million for powering generators in the State House for 2024, alongside N260.8 million designated for electricity charges.

Read Also:

Fuel Scarcity: Impending Disaster As Nigerian Petroleum Tanker Drivers Threaten To Stop Lifting Petrol