Customers of the Odo-gunyan Business District of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) are owing the company well over N5.8 million.

Mr Moses Jebutu, disclosed this at the weekend during an interview energy correspondents the journalists in Lagos that inability of customers within the unit to pay up there bills as affected the operation of the business unit.

Jebutu said that over N2.4 million where owe by customers on Agbowa 33KVA line which he said represent about 50 per cent of the total debt of the business unit adding that  despite all their effort most communities where still owing.

“Our given target for this month stood over N 19 million but presently we hardly realized up to N 5 million at hand. This step back on revenue generation will affect payment of workers salaries for this month that is why we are appealing to our various customer to ensure payment of their  outstanding bills,” he said.

The PHCN boss said that replacement and repairs of any cable and major equipment will be based on the gross payment of bills within the areas, adding that any communities who failed to pay up their bills will not benefit from PHCN facilities.

He notes that the debt was an accumulation of electricity bills unpaid up till the end of December 2011.

He said it was inconceivable that despite the huge investment made by the government to improve the power sector most customers are not reciprocating the gesture by paying up their electricity bills on time. Jebutu hinted that it is only when consumers pay for the electricity consumed that the utility company would be able to provide better, quality and improved services.

He urged the customers to assist the district by paying up their debts so that all ongoing projects can be completed in quick time.

On the challenges of power distribution faced by the district, Jebutu said such challenges are caused partly by the inadequate power allocation from the grid.

He requested that swift action be taken to improve the transformer capacity and overhaul of the power cables for the district to get an allocation that can meet up with the ever increasing load demand.

On achievements recorded so far within the district, he said about 24 projects have been executed within the district in the last one year while six other projects are currently ongoing.

The business manager said that power generation was generally improving, adding that the district was, however, still shedding load whenever there was need to do so.

“We have stepped up action on the fault clearing and some community leaders have testified to this during the last meeting we had with them. The relationship between the PHCN and communities has improved tremendously as areas of friction have been smoothened out and customers’ complaints were adequately investigated and treated,” he said. Jebutu appealed for more cooperation in the areas of monitoring of PHCN equipment, tampering with meters, illegal connections and prompt payment of electricity bills.