Reps pledge to facilitate removal of varsities from Band A

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on University Education, Abubakar Hassan Fulata, has assured the Vice Chancellors and management team of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi and Federal University Kashare, Gombe State, that efforts would be made to remove universities and other tertiary institutions from Band A group of electricity consumers.

Fulata, who made this known during his committee’s visit to the two higher institutions of learning, said the legislators are determined to remove obstacles to the smooth running of academic institutions.

He expressed optimism that the government will listen to them and remove universities from Band A, the same way the tertiary institutions were removed from IPPIS.

The committee observed that many universities are finding it difficult to pay electricity bills due to the hike in the tariff.

Fulata also tasked the managements of the two universities to try as much as possible to comply with relevant laws, particularly the Appropriation Act.

In his contribution, Victor Afam Ogene, one of the members of the committee, drew the attention of the management of ATBU to some irreconcilable figures in relation to income and expenditure of the school between 2021 to 2023.

He noted that it is inappropriate for a government institution to spend more than its income on a revenue generating facility like a quest house.

“Will it be appropriate to get less than N800,000 from the school quest house and spend over N5 million to maintain it?”, Ogene queried.

Adamu Gamawa, one of the committee members, speaking on the budget performance of Federal University Kashare, Gombe, said extra-budgetary spending is not allowed as it is unconstitutional.

“For instance, you cannot budget N10 million and spend N15 million. That is why there is room for supplementary budget,” Adamu said.

Similarly, Omirin Olusanya, a member of the committee, called for compliance with federal character principles. According to the lawmaker, non-compliance with federal character principles in recruitment is a violation of the constitution.

Responding, the acting Vice Chancellor, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Prof. Sani Kunya, thanked the Fulata-led Committee on University Education and sought the lawmakers’ support in order to address the challenges of the school.

In the same vein, Vice Chancellor, Federal University Kashare, Gombe State, Prof. Usman Pate, thanked the lawmakers for visiting the school.

Pate noted that apart from infrastructure challenges, many lecturers are reluctant to work in the school because of insecurity.