The Home of Representatives has urged the Federal Authorities to save lots of lives by offering different energy to educating hospitals, medical centres and universities within the nation, owing to the epileptic energy provide throughout the nation.
The decision of the Home adopted the adoption of a movement on pressing public significance moved by the member representing Ede North/Ede South/ Egbedero Federal Constituency, Osun State, Mr Bamidele Salam throughout Tuesday’s plenary.
Titled, “Matter of pressing public significance on the necessity for the Federal Authorities to plot means to assist educating hospitals, medical centres and universities with mini photo voltaic grids and different different energy sources to forestall lack of lives and disruptions of their companies, “Salam argued that on April 3, 2024, Nigerian Electrical energy Regulatory Fee commenced the implementation of latest electrical energy tariff for Band A prospects and raised the tariff from N68 per kilowatt-hour to N225/kWh.”
Recall that the Home referred to as on the NERC to droop forthwith the implementation of the brand new electrical energy tariff nationwide however the fee solely made a downward assessment of the tariff from 225/kWh to 206.8/kWh.
Bamidele mentioned, “Educating hospitals, medical centres and universities are all in Band A as a result of peculiar must continuously energy medical gear, undertake the process, amongst others which may be required to maintain sufferers alive and ship important companies.
“The Home is fearful that this increment is big and unaffordable by these tertiary well being establishments in Nigeria, therefore the necessity to present an reasonably priced and sustainable different.
“In accordance with an investigation, the Ahmadu Bello College Educating Hospital (pays N75m month-to-month, which interprets to N2.5 million per day; the Aminu Kano Educating Hospital (operated by Bayero College, Kano) pays N119m monthly (roughly N4 million every day).
“Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Educating Hospital pays N50m month-to-month (N1.66 million every day), Jos College Educating Hospital pays N31m or N1.03m every day, and College of Nigeria, Nsukka Educating Hospital elements with N50m month-to-month, or N1.66m every day.”
Within the case of the College of Ibadan, the lawmaker famous that earlier than the brand new tariff regime, “It was indebted to the Ibadan Electrical energy Distribution Firm to the tune of N495m and had its energy disconnected.”
Salam, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Social gathering additional added that solely not too long ago, the Secretary to the Committee of Vice Chancellors of the Nigerian Universities, Prof Yakubu Ochefu “Warned that if the Federal Authorities refuses to behave on the challenges posed by the brand new electrical energy tariff, the federal universities would possibly collapse quickly as excessive overhead value will cripple their operations.”
That is simply as he mentioned that on Thursday, July 4, 2024, “The College of Benin shut down educational actions indefinitely over a protracted protest by college students occasioned by the varsity’s incapacity to produce electrical energy.
If pressing measures aren’t put in place to take away the burden of the brand new electrical energy tariff on educating hospitals, medical centres and universities in Nigeria, Salam mentioned all the well being and schooling sectors could collapse thus endangering the lives of Nigerians.
Following the adoption of the movement, the Home urged the Federal Authorities to plot means to assist educating hospitals, medical centres and universities with mini photo voltaic grids given large and unaffordable electrical energy payments occasioned by new electrical energy tariff.