President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate settlement of N342m as an outstanding electricity bill due to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company.
The President’s directive follows the reconciliation of accounts between the State House Management and AEDC.
On Monday, the AEDC said it will disconnect electricity in the Presidential Villa and 86 Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies over N47.20bn outstanding debts as of December 2023.
The publication showed that the State House owed N923m in bills, a figure the Presidency refuted Tuesday.
In a statement signed by President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency declared that contrary to the AEDC’s initial claim of N923m debt in paid advertorial in newspapers, the State House outstanding bill is N342.35m, according to a letter by the management of AEDC to the State House Permanent Secretary dated February 14, 2024.
Some of the MDAs the AEDC named are Chief of Defence Staff – Barracks and Military Formations owing N12bn, FCT Ministry, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of State Petroleum, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture.
While issuing a notice of disconnection to the affected MDAs, the company warned that it has “given a 10 days’ notice to 86 Government to pay up the N47.1bn electricity debt they owe or risk disconnection.