By Kenneth Ehigiator

PORT HARCOURT— The Power Holdings Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Port Harcourt Distribution Zone, has given the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, till next Tuesday to pay up its N7.4 million debt or have power to Port Harcourt International Airport disconnected.

But the airport management said it would cancel the debt as soon as it received money from FAAN’s headquarters in Lagos.

PHCN’s  Zonal  Principal Manager, Public Affairs,  Mr Emma Anene, who issued the ultimatum yesterday, said the company was aware of the implication of disconnecting power to the airport, but said disconnection remained the only action it could take to make FAAN see the need to pay up the debt.

According to him, the debt owed by the airport management covers between June 2008  and May 2010.

Anene noted that though FAAN promised to pay the debt in two instalments at a recent meeting with the company’s management, nothing concrete had happened.
FAAN reacts
Reacting to the ultimatum, FAAN Assistant General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Victor Arisa, admitted that the agency was owing PHCN, noting, however, that it was also faced with some challenges of debts owed FAAN by airlines.