The Federal Government has launched the Renewable Asset Management Company through the Rural Electrification Agency to take over maintenance of solar hybrid power installations at universities and teaching hospitals nationwide.
The installations, delivered under the Energizing Education Programme, were meant to provide 24/7 electricity to selected institutions, but only three of seven solar hybrid systems from the programme’s first phase remain functional due to a lack of maintenance, even as subsequent phases have continued rolling out under the current administration.
REA Managing Director Abba Aliyu raised the maintenance gap directly with the Ministry of Finance, asking who would be responsible for servicing the assets once installed, prompting the establishment of RAMCO as the custodian tasked with managing EEP installations and teaching hospital power systems going forward.
Officials said the government has already spent significant funds, including borrowed capital, to install the solar hybrid systems, and that RAMCO’s mandate will include creating jobs for qualified technicians to handle battery replacement and routine maintenance across affected campuses.
The move follows site visits to several university projects where equipment sat without upkeep, exposing students, lecturers and medical staff to the risk of losing power access the programme was designed to guarantee.
By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed
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