Coronavirus: We Have Not Received Money For Free Electricity From FG – Gencos, Discos

Electricity generating and distribution companies (Gencos and Discos), have denied receiving money from the federal government to provide free electricity to Nigerians during the coronavirus lockdown.

The companies said they were unaware of any N200bn that was paid to the power sector by the Federal Government in the past three days.

This was said in reaction to a statement credited to the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, on Wednesday that the Federal Government paid over N200bn for power supply in Nigeria.

However, the Executive Secretary, Association of Power Generation Companies, the umbrella body for Gencos, Joy Ogaji, said she was not aware of any N200bn payment.

“For the records, Gencos have not received fresh funds from anyone. What Gencos have received is payment for energy produced and consumed for 2019.

“Gencos have not received any funds of any nomenclature – palliative, stimulus or coronavirus funds. We are currently being paid the money owed for 2019. We take exceptions to our name being used to score political points,” she said when contacted on Thursday on the matter as reported by Punch.

Ogaji further warned the government not to use the situation to score cheap political points with Nigerians noting that power generation companies were patriotic private business owners.

“Below are figures of our performance from February till date to buttress our assertion of making power available. Nigerians should ask why this power is not getting to them,” Ogaji said.