Reps push for removal of universities from Band A electricity tariff
The House of Representatives said that it would ensure the removal of Federal Universities from the Band A electricity tariff plan so as to lessen the huge electricity bill on them.
The Chairman of the House Committee on University Education, Rep. Abubakar Fulata, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja after the committee’s oversight of Northeast Federal Universities.
Some of the federal universities visited include Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and Federal University Kashare, Gombe State.
He said that efforts were being made to remove universities and other tertiary institutions from the Band A group of electricity users.
Fulata 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 remove universities from the Band A Plan of electricity users as they did to IPPIS.
The committee said that most universities were finding it difficult to pay electricity bills due to a hike in the tariff.
Appropriation
Fulata also tasked the management of the two universities to try as much as possible to comply with relevant laws, particularly the Appropriation Act.
A member of the committee, Rep. Victor Ogene, drew the attention of the management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (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? Ogene queried.
Another member, Rep. 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,” Adamu said.
The Vice-Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Prof. Sani Kunya, commended the committee and sought the lawmakers’ support to address the challenges facing the institution.
In the same vein, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Kashare, Gombe State, Prof. Usman Pate, hailed the lawmakers for visiting the school.
Pate said that apart from infrastructure challenges, most of the lecturers were reluctant to work in the institute due to security challenges.
NAN
