It would be recalled that the Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU), on Tuesday, 18th April 2023, was disconnected by NEDCO over a GHC 1.8 million debt.
After the disconnection, the Vice-Chancellor of Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU) in the Upper East Region, Professor Samuel Alnaa, indicated that the university management has made a part payment of GHC 150,000.00 out of the GHC 1.8 million debt owed to NEDCO.
The Northern Electricity Distribution Company, a subsidiary of the Volta River Authority in the Upper East Region, has embarked on two mass revenue mobilization exercises this year.
The exercises aim to help the organization retrieve some of the GHC 125 million owed to the company by consumers in the region.
When the Vice-Chancellor of BTU, Professor Samuel Alnaa, spoke on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show today, Monday, November 13, 2023, he mentioned that the institution still has debts but has received some flexible payment terms from NEDCo.
“As long as we owe them, the issues have not been resolved. They have been very generous to us because they understand the situation we are in. They also understand their situation because they also have to generate revenue. The system is such that the government is no longer providing for everybody.”
“We do not get a subvention for electricity, water, or even goods and services. All we do now depends on our IGF; which is the fee students pay. Everything we do now as a university is from the fees students pay. There are some cost components we don’t charge students, but we provide them. For example, the electricity, we don’t charge the students for electricity, but we still have to pay for electricity,” he explained.
Professor Alnaa explained that all allowances due to him and other staff members, the cost of engaging temporary staff, are all additional costs the school bears for which students aren’t charged, adding that “everything is tight, and in a school where you don’t have the numbers, you will struggle.”
The VC explained that the institution has reached an agreement with NEDCo to fashion out a payment plan.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
