- FG Ends Free Electricity For Tertiary Institutions, Teaching Hospitals
- Beneficiaries previously received free electricity under government renewable projects.
- RAMCO will manage and maintain government renewable energy assets.
The Federal Government is set to begin charging 25 tertiary institutions and teaching hospitals for electricity generated from its renewable energy projects across the country.
Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, disclosed this on Wednesday during the unveiling of the Renewable Asset Management Company, RAMCO, in Abuja.\
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Tegbe said the decision was necessary to ensure that the renewable energy facilities provided by the government are properly maintained and do not suffer the fate of other public assets abandoned due to poor maintenance.
He said the beneficiary institutions had enjoyed free electricity from some of the projects for a period, but the arrangement would end as the government introduces tariffs.
“It is a new dawn. We are very good at building public assets but poor at sustaining them. RAMCO offers a different model to renewable energy. Nigeria has lived too long with embarrassing electricity,” the minister said.
Tegbe recalled that some universities visited him to appreciate the government for providing free electricity for two years.
“Some universities came to me on a courtesy visit to thank me after using free light for two years. I told them, thank you; the pro bono is over. We are coming to commission, and you will pay tariff. The same thing with teaching hospitals,” Tegbe added.
REA Defends New Tariff
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, also backed the decision, saying beneficiary institutions would have to contribute to the maintenance of the facilities.
Aliyu said the Federal Government, through the REA, had deployed 82 megawatts of solar hybrid power to 22 federal universities and three teaching hospitals since 2017 under the Energising Education Programme.
He said although the government funded the construction and deployment of the renewable energy facilities, beneficiary institutions must contribute to keeping them operational.
“Government has funded this asset. REA has built them. Beneficiary institutions must contribute to sustaining them by paying for the electricity they consume,” Aliyu said.
The newly unveiled RAMCO is expected to oversee the management and maintenance of the government’s renewable energy assets.
Beneficiary institutions include Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; and the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State.
Three teaching hospitals are also beneficiaries of the programme.
The Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Health, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, were among the dignitaries present at the Abuja event.
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