•Staff, Students Call for Understanding

•Action May Threaten First Semester Examinations

•Failure to Promptly Restore the Light, Water May Lead to the University’s Closure

 

By Abdullahi Aliyu Ibrahim

 

The Management of Kaduna Electricity and Distribution Company has disconnected the light of both residential and academic areas of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, following the Institution’s inability to pay the electricity company accumulated bill of N931, 579, 317. 84

A disconnection Order served to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Kabiru Bala, on the 4/4/2023, said the University’s light was disconnected owing to what the Kaduna Electric described as ‘Non payment of Debt’.

The unfortunate development came at a time when Muslim faithfuls are observing the Ramadan fast in an extremely hot weather, and when students are preparing for their First Semester Examinations of the 2022/2023 Academic Session.

Ahmadu Bello University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kabir Bala

Disconnection of the electricity has thrown the University Community into extreme darkness and has plunged both staff and students into extreme hardship due to lack of water in the entire Community, as the university water source has ceased to function.

This development has resulted in the skyrocketing of the price of water by vendors who now sale a truck for N1000, instead of the usual N500.

Education Monitor has observed that if the situation is not addressed immediately, or alternative power and water supply is not promptly provided in the University, the situation may threaten academic activities that may lead to the unfortunate closure of the university.

It is against this backdrop that both staff and students are calling for understanding between the managements of the Kaduna Electric and the University.

Concerned Staff and students have called on the Federal Government, Alumni of the University and other stakeholders of the university to come to the rescue of the University in the spirit of Ramadan, before the situation takes another unpleasant dimension.

Attempts to hear the University’s management side of the story was not successful, as several calls put to the Institution’s Director of Public Affairs, Malam Awwal Umar, hit the rocks, as he refused to pick his calls.

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