Niger may sue PHCN over N10bn debt

Written by Daily Trust Monday, 24 May 2010

ShareThe Niger State government may sue authorities of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) if it fails to pay the  N10 billion it is owing the state, the Chairman of the state Board of Internal Revenue Musa Kaboji has said.

Kaboji who said this yesterday in an interview with our correspondent in Minna, said the board had not received any money from PHCN as ground rate since 1976,when the state was created.

“Since 1976, the Niger State government has not received a dime from the PHCN as payment of ground rate. That money has accrued over the years to the tune of N10 billion. We have already asked PHCN to pay the outstanding amount owed the state, but if they prove difficult, we will have no choice, but to take the organisation to court. We will stop at nothing to ensure that the state government recovers the money,” he said.

He urged the state Ministry of Finance to assist the board, saying the job of revenue collection should not be left to the board alone.