Education Rights Campaign (ERC) University of Ibadan chapter, has raised an alarm over what it described as poor condition of facilities at the institution.
The group said it had noticed the poor welfare condition in the institution since the reopening of the university for the commencement of physical academic activities on 20th March, 2023.
ERC noted that electricity and water supplies across the campus have remained epileptic.
It added that the situation had worsened the condition of certain facilities like toilets, bathrooms and lecture rooms across the campus.
ERC made these disclosures via a statement signed by its branch secretary, Comrade Alesh Debs.
Debs in the statement made available to DAILY POST on Friday, insisted that the poor condition of the university would have negative consequences on both the academic performance and the health condition of the majority of the students on campus.
“Since the reopening of the university for the commencement of physical academic activities on 20th March 2023, we of the Education Rights Campaign, ERC, University of Ibadan chapter have noticed the continuous poor welfare condition on campus.
“Electricity and water supplies across the campus have remained epileptic, something which has worsened the condition of certain facilities like toilets, bathrooms and lecture rooms across the campus.
“ERC finds this so worrisome and disturbing given the inevitable consequence this will have on both the academic performance and health condition of the mass of students on campus,” he said.
He urged the Students’ Union in the university to rise to the occasion.
The group urged the leadership of the students’ union to convene a congress of students so as to create an avenue for democratic discussion among students on the range of issues currently affecting them on campus.
It added that the congress will offer students the opportunity to discuss the continuous stay in office by the union executive.
It alleged that the union had spent over 3 years which is far beyond the period of one academic session stipulated in the students’ union constitution.
Principal Assistant Registrar, Public Communications at the University, Joke Akinpelu, when contacted, noted that poor electricity supply was not peculiar to the institution.
“That electricity is epileptic is not peculiar to UI, it is a nationwide problem. Last year, the IBEDC gave UI The Best Customer of the Year Award for consistent payment of bills, which sometimes may be as high as 70 million naira. We spend so much on diesel to power the generating sets to lessen the effects of the power outage.
“Management will welcome advice from the ERC on how to ameliorate the situation rather than complaining, please. We are all stakeholders in the situation, and everybody knows that it is not a profit-oriented business. Thank you for reaching out to me,” she said.
