Federal Gov’t Vows to Bring Contractors of BUK’s N5bn Solar Project to Account

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman said the federal Government will go after contractors who installed the failed 7.1 megawatts solar hybrid power plant at the Bayero University, Kano.

Prof Mamman said the might of the government will be brought on the contractors to ensure accountability on the project.

The minister stated this while inspecting the solar plant site yesterday after commissioning four projects at the institution.

The projects include the Centre for Teaching and Learning, the Micro Teaching Laboratory, Department of Anatomy in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and cEntre For Reading Research Development.

The infrastructures are funded by the University in collaboration with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) at the new site of the University.

The solar project plant was first commissioned in 2019 but failed to deliver the required results.

The minister noted that the solar project was conceived to also bring succor to the immediate community to enhance research and studies but has failed after spending almost N5 billion.

He said, “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 tax payers money, It’s very strange you moved into a university that 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,” the minister vowed.

He also noted that the federal government is working on projects that will empower Nigerian universities as approved by President Bola Tinubu through the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

“For us to come here within a very short time because I understand this projects are 2022 projects, it underscores the deligence and prudence with which the management of this university is handling its funds, for which they must be commended.

“This university is at the forefront of what we want to see tertiary institution in Nigeria achieved which is to provide necessary researches, innovations and at the forefront of generating new ideas for our development,” he added.

Similarly, the Deputy Senate President,Senator Barau Jibrin also commissioned the School Of Post Graduate Studies and the Development/Computer Centre which was funded by the lawmaker.

While commissioning the structures, Senator Jibrin restated his commitment to equipping public institutions which he described as hope of the common man.

Both the minister and senator commended the vice Chancellor of the university for judicious use of funds in bringing up such structures within two years.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sagir Adamu Abbas thanked the minister and the lawmaker for their immense support to the university.

Prof Abbas said the university is committed to executing projects capable of boosting learning in a conducive atmosphere as he added that BUK is ranked number five in Nigeria and number 1016 in the world out of 29,000 universities sampled.