NSC Blames Power Disconnection On Lack Of Funds

An official of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mrs Tayo Oreweme, last week in Lagos blamed the persistent power failure at the National Stadium, Surulere, on lack of funds to pay the bills.

Oreweme, the NSC Liaison Officer in Lagos, told newsmen that the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) cut supply to the stadium in December 2011 over a one million naira debt.

She said the stadium complex had been using a generating set at a high cost since then, adding that efforts to get money from the commission’s headquarters had yielded no result.

Oreweme said the NSC’s Director-General and other dignitaries were being expected at the stadium from today to April 20.

“We did not pay the PHCN bill throughout year 2011 and when we got the bill in December, it had accumulated to one million naira, which was why we were disconnected.

“We do not have access to electricity now. I am coming from Abuja now and they said there was no money,” she said.

Oreweme said the commission’s headquarters had promised to pay immediately the 2012 budget, recently passed by the National Assembly, was signed into law by the president.

She also said that all cables vandalised by miscreants would be replaced as soon as possible, adding that the stadium authority had beefed up security to prevent a recurrence.

“We now have our security men posted to strategic places in the stadium to prevent further vandalisation of government property,” the NSC official said.