THE MANAGEMENT of the University of Ibadan says it has no plan whatsoever to ration electricity within the campus.
This is contained in a statement issued by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Joke Akinpelu, on Thursday in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the students had on Wednesday taken to the street to protest hike in tuition fees and rationing of electricity within the campus by the authorities.
NAN also reports that the protest was sequel to an internal memo signed by the university’s Director of Works, Mr O. A. Adetolu.
The memo, dated July 16, 2024 said that the vice-chancellor had approved a 10-hour daily electricity supply on the campus.
It said that there would be electricity supply from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Akinpelu, however, said that the memo which sparked the protest was not from the university’s management, adding that there was no plan to ration electricity.
She also said in the statement that the authorities had met with the leaders of the students’ union over the Wednesday protest, stating the challenges currently facing the institution.
Akinpelu said that the meeting was presided over by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Peter Olapegba.
Olapegba, who spoke on behalf of the management at the meeting, empathised with the students on their conditions which resulted in the protest.
He, however, explained that the institution’s management was being hampered by inadequate funds.
According to him, the university presently pays over N80 million monthly for electricity, adding that with IBEDC’s plan to move it to Band A, the institution might be paying nothing less than N280 million monthly.
Olapegba explained that the university was not charging any tuition, but that the hike in charges was in consonance with national economic realities.
He said that the issue of hike in charges might be addressed by the institution’s Governing Council anytime it met.
The deputy vice-chancellor reiterated that it was illegal for any lecturer to sell handouts and requested the students to provide evidence of such.
He expressed the university’s commitment to improving the conditions of living of the students.
To achieve this, Olapegba said that the management had been going cap-in-hand to mobilise the alumni, friends and benefactors of the institution to make donations so as to make life better for them.
He also said that the university had not, in any way, victimised any student, adding that all it had done was to request the affected students to explain their actions, in line with the university’s rules and regulations.
While noting that security was a national problem, the deputy vice-chancellor said that the university was trying its best to secure the lives and property of students and the staff members on the campus.
He, therefore, appealed to the students to cooperate with the management to make the campus conducive for all and sundry.
Olapegba assured that the management would do its best to address the issues raised within its available resources.
He commended the students for keeping their protest within the campus and not allowing hoodlums to hijack it.
The statement also quoted the institution’s Students’ Union President, Mr Bolaji Aweda, as listing their complaints to include fee hike, rationing of electricity, sales of handouts by lecturers, GES textbooks being made compulsory and poor welfare conditions.
Others were: alleged victimisation of the students who had earlier in the year protested the fee hike and inadequate security for the lives of the students on campus.
Meanwhile, the students’ union has announced the immediate suspension of the protest.
The union, in a statement dated Wednesday, July 17, 2024, but made available to newsmen on Thursday, hinged the suspension of the protest on their discussion and the resolution reached with the school management.
The statement, signed by the students’ union president and General Secretary, Aweda and Japhet Ogundijo respectively, appreciated all the students who took part in the protest.
“We have shown that our strength lies in our number and there is nothing we cannot achieve.
“Following positive discussion with the university management and the resolution reached (check earlier release), the union wishes to inform the general students’ populace that the protest is now suspended.
“The students’ union enjoins fellow students to return back to class effective tomorrow, 18th July, 2024 and give time for the management to implement the resolutions,” the statement read in part. (NAN)
