6th June, 2016
Dr Karo Ogbinaka, the Deputy Dean I, Students’ Affairs, University of Lagos, on Monday assured students of the institution that their accommodation problems would soon be over.
Ogbinaka, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, spoke against the backdrop of the acute shortage of accommodation facing students of the university.
He said that the university management was taking necessary steps to ensure the comfort and improvement in the welfare of the students.
Ogbinaka, also a senior lecturer, Department of Philosophy, said that the renovation and reconstruction works of the halls awarded in 2015 had reached an advanced stage and would be completed soon.
He said that the El-Kanemi Hall was undergoing a total reconstruction as it was being converted from wooden bungalow structures to concrete ensuite type.
According to him, the ongoing renovation and reconstruction of projects involving two major halls for male undergraduate students, Shodeinde and El Kanemi Halls, were being carried out by the Federal Government.
“I want to state that work on the projects has indeed been ongoing, but I cannot state specifically when it will be completed.
“Most specifically, work at the Shodeinde Hall has reached an advanced stage and we are expecting a speedy completion in order to cushion the effects of accommodation challenge on campus.
“These two projects are part of the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ struggle of the NEEDS assessment.
“My appeal is that the Federal Government should put pressure on the contractors handling the projects to speed up efforts to ensure that they are delivered and put to good use on time.
“The Shodeinde Hall for example, is being reconstructed with the state-of-the-art facilities that will comprise separate toilets and bathrooms en-suite,’’ he said.
Students of the institution had in October 2015 protested against the invasion of their hostels by bedbugs and mosquitoes.
NEEDS is a comprehensive recommendation by the NEEDS Assessment Committee inaugurated by the Federal Ministry of Education.
The committee was mandated to assess the state of public universities in the country as part of the agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU