The Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation, NSWSC, has decried the non-payment of water charges by Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state to the tune of N1.4 billion.
The General Manager, Finance and Supply, NSWSC, Mustafa Mohammed Lemu, made the disclosure shortly, after an interactive session with the Niger State House of Assembly Committee on Audited Accounts.
He said the major problem is with the MDAs who do not pay, saying ”if they decide to pay, I don’t think we will be having many problems as we are having now.
He explained that the revenue accrued to the Board from the debtors was no less than N1.4 billion and most of the debts are owed by the MDA’s, thereby affecting the constant water supply to residents of Minna and its environs.
“Even the procurement of these chemicals last month, the state government had to intervene by giving us N100 million to procure chemicals and that is why you are seeing water now in the state capital”, the GM lamented.
Lemu said, ” though the government has promised the corporation financial support that would enable us have constant water supply for at least three months, our major problem is revenue drive which is too poor, especially in this rainy season when the customers have an alternative source of water supply”.
The GM urged MDAs and the defaulting customers to pay their outstanding bills to enable the cooperation serve them better.
