Discos mean business! Plunge Federal Secretariat into darkness over N350m debt

The power distribution companies may have carried out their threat to embark on massive disconnection of all government ministries, agencies and department owing them electricity bill.

To that effect, greater part of Monday saw the Federal Secretariat in Garki, Abuja, in total darkness as information gathered showed that the complex was disconnected for owing the sum of about N350 million as part of the estimated N50 billion total outstanding bills owed by government since 2014.

Some of the parastatals sharing the complex were using their standby generators to continue with their work, while the rest of the building suffered darkness, which paralysed most of their activities.

None of the senior officials was in a position to speak on the real cause of the development, though they acknowledged the fact that a series of letters had been addressed to the office of the Sectreatary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) by the discos on the outstanding bills.

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Some ministers and their aides were sighted in their offices with the window blinds open, while some others left the complex for unknown places on discovering that power to the building was disconnected.

Mostly affected in the scenario included the ministries of Women Affairs, Niger Delta Affairs; Labour and Productivity; Health as well as several other Federal Government Departments and Agencies.

At the SGF wing of the Secretariat, it appeared some of the workers got wind of what was to happen as only a scanty number turned up for work on Monday .

At the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), said to be in charge of the area, it was mum all through as to what really led to the disconnection of light at the secretariat.

A Lady, at the public relations department, who merely gave her name as Rikya said the management staff were out of their offices for a meeting with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatary Commission (NERC), but without linking the said meeting with the Secretariat darkness.

“Those who should know why the place (Secretariat) is without light are in the government and they are in the best position to explain things,” she retorted over an inquiry on the issue.

But it was gathered that the insistence by the minister of power, works and housing, Raji Batunde Fashola that the bill given to government by the discos were yet to be verified was the main cause of the action by the discos, which took the last action in a desperate bid to remain afloat.

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