Admin l Monday, January 29, 2018
LAGOS, Nigeria – The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has warned the National Assembly against playing politics with Energising Education Program project which was proposed by the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing.
While lauding the project championed by the Minister, Babatunde Raji Fashola, NANS said the lack power supply in tertiary institutions of learning demands state of emergency. The organisation said it would “resist any form of opposition and unnecessary delay” in the implementation of the EEP project which, it said, had been approved by the Federal Executive Council as a “Revolutionary Agenda” in the education sector.
“Yes we are in support that due processes must be followed. But the project must continue because the issue of lack power supply in our institutions of learning demands state of emergency that requires extra ordinary measures to tackle”, NANS said.
The President of NANS, Chinonso Obasi, in a statement on Sunday entitled: “Stop this petty Politics Now”, said such politics would not augur well for the development of Nigeria’s education sector.
He said, “Enough of this politics! Nigerian students shall resist any form of opposition and unnecessary delay to the implementation of the EEP. The letter read by the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Power, Hon. Effiong Daniel, during the public hearing, mandating the Ministry of Power to stop work until they are satisfied that due processes were followed is an unpatriotic handwork.
“We are not surprised, he is an opposition lawmaker. But discrediting and frustrating the government’s effort in rebuilding the education sector will not be in national interest.
“The actualisation of the dream by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will remain unforgettable in history. This is the first of its kind in Nigeria as EEP will ensure self-sufficiency in power and sustainable development for Nigerian tertiary institutions.
“The institutions will develop and operate energy academies which will train and certify students in courses related to renewable energy, distribute power to surrounding communities in the second-tier of each phase as a strategy for rural electrification, subsequently resulting in an increase of economic activity within those communities and general well-being.”
Obasi had last week Wednesday January 25 2018 led about 362 students leaders to present a memorandum during a public/investigative hearing of the joint Committee on Power and Public Procurement in the National Assembly.
At the event, NANS had requested that the EEP project should be extended to all the tertiary institutions of learning in Nigeria, contrary to the proposed 37 Federal Universities and seven Federal University Teaching Hospitals in the six geo-political zones as requested by the Ministry of Ministry of Works, Power and Housing.
