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Nigeria: PHCN - Festac Residents Re-Affirm Commitment to Disregard Bills
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Vanguard (Lagos)
17 June 2008
Posted to the web 17 June 2008
Yemie Adeoye
Lagos
Resident of Festac Town in Amuwo Odo fin area of Lagos have re-affirmed their commitment not to honour Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) bills anymore and to vehemently resist payment if coerced to do so.
The residents who had earlier passed a circular round the expansive estate made this known during a recent Consumers Consultative Council meeting called on the instance of the Festac District of the company.
Some of the residents who spoke under condition of anonymity lamented the terrible power situation which has bedevilled the area in recent times, according to them it has become useless even to be connected to the National grid as it does not add any meaning to their lives.
Some of them complained that they have been spending an enormous amount on diesel and petrol to power generator sets as no day goes by without an adequate usage of power generating sets and therefore questioned the need for the PHCN when they can generate power individually.
While speaking at the event, the Business Manager of the District, Engr. Ikperite stated that as a district, some reinforcement projects have been embarked upon in order to bring about relief to customers on its network. "A 500Kva, 11/0.415Kv transformer substation was installed at David East Street, while in R. Close, 200Kva,11/0.415Kv transformer S/S Festac U\T."
He stated that about three 500Kva transformers were replaced while on 22 Road, Festac Town, an 11Kv feeder, load five transformer was transferred to 7th Avenue 11Kv feeder, while four transformers were transferred from 22 Road feeder from 5th Avenue 11Kv feeder."Two transformers were also transferred to 512 Road 11Kv feeder from 311 Road." Ikperite stated that the major challenge of the district has been unauthorised tampering with the distribution network which includes changing from one phase to the other thus creating imbalance in the loading of the distribution transformers, changing from one transformer to another without authority, taking supply from two substations to one house, replacing feeder pillar fuses inside our distribution substation when the particular circuit is on load- shedding. Illegally reconnecting customers who are on disconnection for non-payment as well as the vandalisation of our equipment and cables."
He puts the total outstanding debts of the district at N1.599,381,835.49 out of which the Navy owes N1,128,351,161.5, and the Nigerian Prison Service is owing about N55,949,536.63. The Nigerian Army is said to be owing about N1,588,942.31, Nigeria Police is indebted to the tune of N5,012,628.07 and Immigration is owing N18,136.81, NITEL-N4,285,244.95 and Nigeria Air-force N589,453.23 while the balance of N403,586,731.92 is owed by other customers within the Festac District.
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This generated a loud condemnation from the members of the audience who claimed that the problem of the government (PHCN) is caused and being fuelled by the government (military agencies) and they advised the Business Manager to disconnect whoever is owing as such a staggering amount would hamper development in the district and would thereby be suffered by the ordinary citizens whose debts are mere stipends in comparison.
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