The House of Representatives applauded President Bola Tinubu for granting a 50% electricity subsidy to universities, hospitals, and other higher learning institutions.
Rep. Abubakar Fulata, Chairman of the House Committee on University Education, issued the appreciation in a statement in Abuja on Monday.
He praised Tinubu for his generosity in responding to their request and subsidising electricity rates for higher institutions.
Fulata stated that in recent weeks, his group has visited over 30 federal universities in 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He claimed that the high electricity tariff had harmed practically all of Nigeria’s universities.
Fulata said:
“While almost all the universities are struggling to pay the high electricity tariff, electricity distribution companies have disconnected some from public light.
“Before the grouping of electricity users that placed universities in Band ‘A’, which is the group that pays the highest electricity tariff, some of the universities could no longer afford the bill.
“For instance, the University of Jos was paying around N20 million monthly, but after the grouping, the institution’s monthly electricity tariff jumped up to over N100 million.
Fulata said that UNIJOS was one of the universities disconnected from public light due to the challenge of high tariffs.
“So we are grateful for this decision the President has taken as it will go a long way in addressing the challenge of electricity supply in the tertiary institutions of learning in the country.
He stated that this was not the first time the President had listened to and acted on the Representatives’ plea for educational progress.
According to him, we discussed the subject of IPPIS, which imposed a significant load on university management, such as obtaining authorisation from around seven MDAs before hiring a cleaner.
He noted that the President listened and supported the removal of tertiary institutions from IPPIS, as well as the demand to reconstitute the tertiary institution councils.
Fulata expressed confidence that lawmakers, regardless of party background, ethnicity, or religion, would continue to work with the executive branch.
This, he said, also includes relevant stakeholders to improve the quality of education in the country.
It should be noted that the Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the 50 per cent electricity subsidy for tertiary institutions and hospitals in Kaduna.
Alausa stated that the Ministry of Power was already working out the subsidy payment terms.