K24,000 arrears, power supply cut

BY REBECCA KUKU
ELECTRICITY supply to the National Procurement Commission office has been cut by PNG Power because of arrears totalling more than K24,000 arrears, says chief executive officer Simon Bole.
Bole told The National that the electricity supply was cut last month.
“We received a notice in late November and wrote to the Department of Finance who are responsible for utilities for all government departments, but did not receive a response,” Bole said.
“(When) the electricity supply was cut on Dec 6, we wrote to the Department of Finance again, but still they have not paid the arrears.
“It’s been over a month now, and it is affecting the work of the (commission) and is already causing delays and disruptions to government projects across the country.”
Bole said the commission owed K24,191 for the months of October and November.
“K13, 203. 40 for October and K13, 203. 40 for November.
“In total NPC has K24,191.80 in arrears.
“The Department of Finance is responsible for paying all utilities and we have written to them twice already,” he said.
Bole said they started using a generator which was expensive and not budgeted for by the commission.
“On one day, we use about one and a half drums of fuel for the generator.
“And one drum costs K824. The Department of Finance needs to sort this out so that (we) can get back to work,” he said.
Attempts to get comments from the Finance Department were unsuccessful yesterday.