UNN laments power outage, due to N600m debt

Management of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, has said the institution is experiencing constant power outage due to its N600 million accumulated bills.

The institution described the electricity bill as “outrageous”, saying it is unacceptable when compared to its energy consumption.

In a memo dated September 30, Polycarp Chigbu, the institution’s acting vice chancellor, said the school management is making efforts to solve the problem.

Chigbu said the management has escalated the matter to higher authorities, while urging the members of the institution to remain calm.

“Management has noted with grave concern the current and continuous power outage on our Campuses borne out of high and outrageous electricity bills from Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC),” the memo read.

He also said that the school is deploying other resources to provide power for the institution.

“By the current electricity bills from the EEDC that has continuously placed us on Band A consumption line, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka’s indebtedness stands at over N600,000,000.00 (Six Hundred Million Naira) only as at mid-August 2024.

“This is totally unacceptable and far above the capacity of the University Management to handle.

“However, the matter is being taken up to higher quarters.

“We appeal to ALL and Sundry to be calm and bear the situation on ground as management continues to strive as much as it can, and within the limits of available resources, to provide electricity power in the interim.”

On April 3, the federal government approved an increase in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification.

Under the new classification, customer A will receive 20 hours of electricity supply daily, at N225 per kilowatt (kW) — up from N66.

The development has, however, been met with outrage from Nigerians in some parts of the country.