The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, has raised alarm over the heavy blow dealt on its facilities around the country by the disconnection of its barracks and hospital from supply of power by the distribution companies.
Indeed, the Army Chief laments that its mortuaries and hospital had remained in perpetual darkness, resulting to decomposing corpses in its morgues.
General Lagbaja pleaded that the N42 billion electricity debt owed by the Nigerian Army be liquidated.
He made the appeal during his visit to the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, highlighting the significant challenges posed by the power outages in Army installations. He specifically pointed out the distressing situation of decomposing corpses in Army mortuaries, which has led to protests from the families of the deceased.
Lagbaja emphasized that the accumulating debt has severely impacted the Army’s operations, with some barracks and cantonments experiencing complete blackout since January. Despite efforts to provide electricity through prepaid meters, the debt continues to mount automatically, hindering their ability to function effectively.
Drawing parallels with a similar debt resolution in 2005, Lagbaja appealed for a comparable solution to address the current situation.
Additionally, Lagbaja underscored the security risks posed by the blackouts in Army facilities and reiterated the Army’s commitment to combating electricity infrastructure vandalism.
In response, Minister Adelabu assured the Nigerian Army of his willingness to engage in discussions with power distribution companies to restructure the debt. While clarifying that the debt cannot be written off, he pledged to intervene and restructure the payment plan provided there is a commitment from the Army to make regular payments.
This dialogue highlights the urgent need to address the electricity debt issue to ensure uninterrupted power supply to Army facilities, while also considering the financial viability of power distribution companies.