Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman has expressed worries over the collapse of N5 billion solar-powered energy in Bayero University, Kano, and insisted no stone would be unturned to unravel the ugly development.
The Federal government-funded alternative energy solution executed under the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) was commissioned in the main campus of the University by former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in September, 2019.
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However, the 3.5mw mini-grid power plant, a critical national investment could not serve the energy needs of the University for more than two years before it suddenly broke down.
The Minister who gave the impression while inspecting the moribund facility at the BUK main campus on the sideline of the 38th convocation ceremony of the institution, vowed to bring the federal might to bear.
According to the Minister, “Somebody can’t just come here and put so much money and there is no results or outcome from it. We are going to chase up those who handle this project to ensure we get value for our money.
“This is taxpayers’ money, It’s very strange you moved into a university where you don’t know what is happening from conception to execution of projects and it fails like this and there is nobody to hold into account. We will bring the might of the federal government to ensure people are held into account for this”. Professor Mamman noted.
During his opening remark at the grand finale, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas lamented that the University spent over N100 million monthly to provide electricity across the six campuses.
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Narrating the development, the VC explained that the solar power developed a fault in 2021 when the capacity to power the entire campus began to fail and eventually collapsed.
” The governing council noted that the solar power plant developed a fault and required expansion. In early 2023 two of the converters developed problems and since then the solar has not been functioning.
” We made all efforts to address the problem but we have not been successful. We are appealing to the visitor to assist the university in reviving the solar system, which will go a long way towards addressing the energy crisis on campus in the last three years ” VC Abbas noted.