University of Lagos (UNILAG) was recently disconnected from its electricity power source over its inability to pay a billion Naira debt owed from N300m monthly bill. Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH).
According to LEADERSHIP Newspapers findings they had been disconnected for more than five months ago over unresolved issues that are not unconnected to towering electricity bills.
The Eko Distribution Company (EKEDC) and other DISCOs, in a move to ensure more firms, residential houses and institutions of higher learning get the required electricity supply needed and also maximise profits, increased its electricity tariff.
Federal higher institutions, University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech) earlier in the year were moved from Band B to Band A, and the latter from Band C to Band B. The resultant effect has increased the expenses of these Lagos-based institutions as UNILAG was given three hundred million Naira monthly bill from a previous bill of N180 million.
Yabatech's Band B electricity tariff had jumped from fifteen million Naira to an estimated N25 million monthly bill which has deepened the expenses of the tertiary institutions and made it difficult for them to pay the full exorbitant fees.
This development, according to the Public Relations officer of Yabatech, Adekunle Adams, has made the federal institution to continue to generate electricity through the use of generating sets, making it pay a higher price for diesel. Yabatech had sought an arrangement with EKEDC with plans to tackle this symbiotically.
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Director of Communications, UNILAG, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, mentioned UNILAG's Challenge in meeting up with exorbitant electricity bills since it was transferred to Band A without the permission of the university.
In a related development, the federal government had promised to subsidise electricity in universities, however, the process is yet to kickoff. Educationist, Michael Omisore, weighing in on this sad development said, "The issue of funding public universities is worrisome as management of universities decried the dwindling injection of fund into the varsities. The electricity tariff bill owed by UNILAG,
Yabatech and other varsities is just a symptom of this abysmal neglect. The management of the institutions should look inwards and seek cost effective approaches to power generation and adopt the green economy that is environmental friendly.
"A case of transferring the burden to the students to pay exorbitant fees to shore up the outstanding electricity bills is unethical. I also urge the private sector which has partnerships with higher institutions to support them in powering the schools,' he noted.
