The Emir of Gwandu in Kebbi, Alhaji Muhammadu Bashar has directed district and ward heads in the emirate to ensure that their subjects pay their electricity bills promptly.

The monarch gave the directive when the management of Kaduna Electric, held a sensitization forum with traditional leaders in the emirate, at the emir’s place in Gwandu.

A statement by the Head, Corporate Communications, Kaduna Electric, Abdulazeez Abdullahi and made Available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Kaduna, said the emir was represented by Sardaunan Gwnadu, Alhaji Yusuf Rasheed.

The monarch said the emirate council would support the current drive for sustainable energy security, and warned that “any community that fails to settle its electricity bills would be disconnected by the electricity distribution company”.

“Electricity generation and distribution is no longer being handled by the government, it is now being driven by the private entrepreneurs and if we want steady and qualitative service, we must pay our bills regularly,” he added.

Bashar noted that the Kebbi  State Government has provided the enabling environment and necessary support to ensure power supply in the state, as such the district and ward heads should educate their subjects on the importance of regular payment of bills.

Earlier, the Commercial Manager, Kebbi regional office, Malam Musa Yusuf,  disclosed that the company supplied electricity worth N742 million to its customers in the state in October, but only realised N274 million.

He added that the revenue generated in November was also less than 40% of the cost of energy supplied.

Yusuf reminded electricity consumers that “the company cannot pay for the energy supplied to it by the generation companies if such high rate of default is being recorded.

“The average daily power supply in the State is 20 hours and this can only be sustained if there is urgent attitudinal change among the populace towards payment of bills”.

He also decried the rate of energy theft, meter bypass as well as illegal re-connection and appealed to the traditional rulers to educate their subjects on energy efficiency.

 “We must imbibe energy conservation culture by putting off bulbs and other appliances not needed; this will enable us save our hard-earned money and relieve the power supply