Reps push for removal of universities from Band A electricity tariff

The House of Representatives said that it would ensure that federal universities were removed from the Band A electricity tariff plan to lessen the huge electricity bill.

Chairman of the House Committee on University Education, Abubakar Fulata, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja after the committee’s oversight of the federal universities in the North-east.

Some of the federal universities visited, according to him, include Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and Federal University Kashare, Gombe State.

In April, the federal government announced a hike in the electricity tariff, affecting customers on Band A category, who represent 17 per cent of the customers who consume 40 per cent of the electricity output.

The policy allowed DISCOs to raise electricity prices to ₦225 ($0.15) per kilowatt-hour from ₦68, in return for gPuaranteeing 20 hours of electricity supply per day.

The government explained that the decision to implement the tariff increase was to improve liquidity in the downstream power sector, as it had become difficult to sustain the subsidy in the sector.

Recently, students of the universities of Benin and Ibadan protested the inadequate supply of power in their institutions.

Mr Fulata said that efforts were being made to remove universities and other tertiary institutions from the Band A group of electricity users.

He said the lawmakers were determined to remove obstacles to the smooth running of the schools.

He expressed optimism that the government would listen to them and removed universities from the Band A Plan of electricity users, like they did to IPPIS.

The lawmaker said that most universities were finding it difficult to pay electricity bills due to hike in the tariff.

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

A member of the committee, Victor Ogene, drew the attention of the management of ATBU to some irreconcilable figures in relation to the income and expenditure of the school between 2021 and 2023.

He said that it was inappropriate for a government institution to spend more than its income on a revenue-generating facility like guest house.

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

Another member, Adamu Gamawa, said extra-budgetary spending was not allowed as it is unconstitutional.

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

Vice -Chancellor, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Sani Kunya, a professor, commended the committee and sought the lawmakers’ support to address challenges facing the institution.

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