The House of Representatives has commended President Bola Tinubu for approving a 50 per cent electricity subsidy for tertiary institutions and hospitals in the country.

The Chairman of the House Committee on University Education, Abubakar Fulata, made this known in a statement on Monday, September 2, 2024.

Fulata commended Tinubu for his magnanimity in yielding to their call and subsidising electricity tariff for tertiary institutions.

Fulata said the committee in the last few weeks visited over 30 federal universities in 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The lawmaker stated that the high electricity tariff had affected almost all the universities in Nigeria.

He said: “While almost all the universities are struggling to pay the high electricity tariff, some of them have been disconnected from public light by the electricity distribution companies.

“Prior to 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.”

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Fulata noted that the University of Jos (UniJos) was paying about N20 million monthly, but after the grouping, the institution’s monthly electricity tariff jumped up to over N100 million.

He said UniJos was one of the universities disconnected by the electricity distribution company 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,” Fulata added.

Fulata further expressed confidence that irrespective of political affiliation, ethnic, and religious differences, the lawmakers would continue to partner with the executive arm.

This, he said, also includes relevant stakeholders to improve the standard of education in the country.

It would be recalled that the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa, recently broke the news of the 50 per cent electricity subsidy for tertiary institutions and hospitals in Kaduna State.

Alausa said the Ministry of Power was already working out the subsidy payment modalities.

The Star