UI Management dialogues with students over hikes in prices and poor welfare 

Oru Leonard 

The hardship and inflation being faced in the country has also robbed on the students. This led the students of the University of Ibadan to display a show of dissatisfaction. The students had barricaded the main gate of the University over what they described as hardships that they were facing on the campus.

Management of foremost institution met with the leaders of the students’ bodies to resolve the impasse.

President of the Students Union, Mr Bolaji Aweda, at a meeting, listed a number of complaints that the students have.

According to him, the students were protesting the rationing of electricity on campus, hike in fees, sale of handouts, GES textbooks being made compulsory, poor welfare conditions, poor attention being given in the UHS, victimisation of students who earlier in the year protested the hike in fees, and inadequate security for the lives of the students on the campus.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, Professor Peter O. Olapegba who spoke on behalf of the Management, empathised with the students. He, however, explained that the Management was being hampered by inadequate funds.

Professor Olapegba said the University presently pays over eighty million naira monthly for electricity, adding that the intention of the IBEDC to move the University to Band A would mean that the University would now pay two hundred and eighty million naira monthly for its electricity usage.

He, however, said that the memo that sparked the protest was not from the University Management and that the Management has no plans to ration electricity.

Professor Olapegba explained that the University does not charge tuition, adding that the hike in charges is in consonance with national economic realities. He said the issue of hike in charges may be addressed by the Governing Council when it meets.

He reiterated that it is an illegal act for any lecturer to sell handouts in the University of Ibadan and requested the students to provide evidence of such.

Professor Olapegba said the University is very committed to improving the conditions of living for the students and that the Management has been going cap in hand to mobilise the alumni, friends, and benefactors to make donations to the University to make life better for the students.

He lamented that it would appear as if Management was not doing anything given the national economic realities.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration said the University had not in any way victimised any students, 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.

He said security is a national problem, and the University is trying its best to secure the lives and property of students and staff on the campus.

Professor Olapegba, therefore, appealed to the students to cooperate with the management to make the campus conducive for all and sundry.

He assured that the management would do its best to address the issues raised within its available resources.

Professor Olapegba commended the students for keeping their protest within the University campus and not allowing hoodlums to hijack it.