THE Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, UDUS, has received a $4.2 million (about N630 million) grant from the World Bank for the production of solar panels aimed at boosting electricity.

Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Riskuwa Shehu who made this known in an interview with Vanguard in Sokoto said that at present, UDUS spends N6.8 million monthly on purchase of 44,000 litres of diesel for water and electricity supplies, even as the main campus of the university had not been connected to the public water supply network since it was established in 1975.

Shehu said that UDUS secured the grant for the production of solar panels through the Sokoto Energy Research Centre, SERC.

He said: “The project will be executed under the Directorate of Science and Technology Post Basic Education, STEP-B, programme of the university. SERC was recently selected as one of the few centres of excellence in renewable energy. In the next one year, the centre will commence the production of solar panels to stop their massive importation. The grant is also for the conduct of research in renewable energy, training and purchase of equipment for the project.”

Shehu said the equipment, which were being expected in the country, would improve power supply in the state, adding: “It will also improve our revenue base, enhance capacity building as well as reduce the costs of the provision of renewable energy.”

He, however, reiterated the need for the establishment of Education Bank in the country as obtained in other parts of the world, adding: “such bank will help in advancing soft loans to students, especially those from less to do families to acquire education at all levels. These type of indigent students will therefore be able to pursue their education without poverty hindering them and they can repay the loans upon graduation.”

On water supply, Shehu said: “the main campus which houses majority of the members of the university community is being supplied solely with water from bore holes sunk across the campus. We also use generators to complement power supply from PHCN which has been epileptic all over Nigeria. I am appealing to the government and other key stakeholders to assist universities all over Nigeria in overcoming most of their problems, including those of water and electricity supplies.”