REA says N10b universities’ electricity project reflected in 2017 budget

The Rural Electrification Agency on Wednesday said that the planned Energizing Education Programme (EEP) which aims to provide dedicated and reliable electricity to Federal Universities is on course for delivery in 2018, and is already part of the 2017 budget.

The clarification REA said is coming on the heels ‎of various campaigns being carried out in some quarters to deny the federal universities the opportunity to access uninterrupted power.

Recall,the Minister of Budget and National Planning Udoma Udo Udoma, said the 2017 budget shall be rolled over to 2018, during budget performance briefing to the National Assembly,towards the tail end of 2017.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, REA said, “Allegations that the Managing director of REA made any statements to the contrary are patently untrue and are at best, a misunderstanding and at worst, a campaign to deny our federal universities the opportunity to access uninterrupted power.”

The Statement quoted the Managing Director of the REA, Damilola Ogunbiyi  stating that,”In fact that a majority of the Universities under the EEP are located in rural as well as undeserved communities, hence the REA’s involvement is key in providing the uninterrupted power is key to its mandate of connected undeserved Nigerians.”

Accordingly,she pointed out that the following milestones have been achieved indicating REA’s continued commitment to implementing the programme which are:Approval by the Federal Executive Council;‎the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Phase I university .

The Phase 1 Universities are: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Bayero University Kano, Usumanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, Nnamdi Azikwe University, Anambra state.

Also captured in the phase 1 project are :University of Lagos, Akoka, Federal University of Petroleum Resources Delta, Obafemi Awolowo University and Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital

Accordingly,the statement explained that,there is no objection to award contracts from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for the Phase I EEP projects has been obtained,and Approval from Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is sorted out.