The House of Representatives on Tuesday tasked the Federal Government with the need to support federal teaching hospitals, federal medical centres, and federal universities with mini-solar grids and other alternative power sources with a view to preventing the loss of lives and disruption of medical services across the country.
The resolution was passed as a as a sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Bamidele Salam, who expressed grave concern over the high cost of electricity being imposed on federal health institutions.
While noting that the recent hike in electricity tariffs has resulted in unaffordable electricity bills for these institutions, Hon. Salam called for House intervention.
In his lead debate, Hon. Salam said: “The House notes that on April 3rd, 2024, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) commenced the implementation of a new electricity tariff for Band A customers and raised the tariff from N68 per kilowatt-hour to N225/kWh. The hike represented a 240 percent increase.
“The House recalls that this House called on the NERC to suspend, forthwith, the implementation of the new electricity tariff nationwide, but the commission only made a downward review of the tariff from 225/kWh to 206.8/kWh.
“The House further notes that this downward review still represented over a 202% increment in the electricity tariff.
“Also, on July 3rd, 2024, some of the Discos announced a further increase in the Band A tariff from 206.8/kWh to 209.5/kWh, which now represents over a 207% increment.
“The House also notes that teaching hospitals, medical centres, and universities are all in Band A due to the peculiar need to constantly power medical equipment and undertake procedures, among others, that may be required to keep patients alive and deliver critical services.
“The House is worried that this increment is huge and unaffordable by these tertiary health institutions in Nigeria, hence the need to provide an affordable and sustainable alternative.
“According to the investigation by the leadership newspaper, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) pays N75 million monthly, which translates to N2.5 million per day. Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (operated by Bayero University, Kano) pays N119 million per month (approximately N4 million daily). ATBUTH pays N50 million monthly (N1.66 million each day). JUTH pays N31 million, or N1.03 million daily, and UNTH parts with N50 million monthly, or N1.66 million daily;
“The House is further worried that the case of UCH, Ibadan, is more pathetic. Even before the new tariff regime, it was indebted to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to the tune of N495 million and had its power disconnected.
“The House is also worried that very recently, the Secretary to the committee of Vice Chancellors of the Nigerian Universities, Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, warned that if the Federal Government refuses to act on the challenges posed by the new electricity tariff, the federal universities might collapse soon as high overhead cost will cripple their operations.
“The House recalls that on Thursday 4th day of July, 2024, the University of Benin shut down academic activities indefinitely over a prolonged protest by students occasioned by the school’s inability to supply electricity.
“The House further recalls that on Friday 5th day of July 2024, the medical students of the University of Lagos protested and lamented how the new tariff has impacted the supply of water and electricity in their hostels.
“The House is aware that, by virtue of Section 17(3)(d) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are adequate medical and health facilities for all persons.
“The House is further aware that by Section 16(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring that the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.
“The House is further worried that if urgent measures are not put in place to remove the burden of the new electricity tariff on teaching hospitals, medical centres, and universities in Nigeria, the entire health and education sectors may collapse, thus endangering the lives of our citizens.
“The House is aware that a mini-solar grid is a cleaner and more affordable trending global alternative to regular hydroelectric supply. Mini-solar grids are small-scale electricity generators and energy storage systems interconnected to supply a localised group of customers independently from the national grid.
“The House is further aware that this innovative and sustainable energy solution is not unique, as some hospitals, such as Sutter Amador Hospital in Jackson, California, and CentraState Medical Centre in Highland, Florida, among others, power their hospitals with mini solar grids.
“The House is also aware that in 2023, the Rural Electrification Agency deployed 103 mini-grids across Nigeria under a performance-based grant (PBG), a subcomponent of the Nigerian Electrification Project (NEP) funded by the World Bank.
“The House is assured that if the Federal Government introduces mini solar grids across the teaching hospitals, medical centres, and universities in Nigeria, it will serve as a safety net for these institutions, which are currently struggling to survive due to the hike in electricity bills,” he noted.
In its bid to address the concern, the House urged the Federal Government to urgently devise means to support teaching hospitals, medical centres, and universities with mini solar grids in view of the huge and unaffordable electricity bills occasioned by the new electricity tariff.
To this end, the House mandated the joint Committees on Health Institutions, Rural Electricity Agency, and Power to ensure compliance.
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