The National Association of Nigerian Students, Lagos State Chapter, has called on authorities to urgently address the electricity challenges affecting campuses across Lagos.
At a press conference held by the newly elected NANS leadership on Tuesday at the Lagos State College of Health, the state chairman, Abdul-Raheem Abdul-Quadri, highlighted the pressing issues students face due to inadequate power supply and other infrastructural deficiencies.
Abdul-Quadri expressed gratitude for the successful election of the new NANS executives on December 14, 2024.
He drew attention to severe electricity problems at various campuses, particularly at the Lagos State University of Science and Technology and other institutions in the Epe region.
He noted that LASUSTECH students currently receive only about four hours of electricity daily, despite being placed in Band A, which should guarantee approximately 20 hours of power.
“This situation has severely impacted academic activities,” Abdul-Quadri said, urging the Power Holding Company of Nigeria to “resolve this issue promptly.”
He added that institutions in Epe, including LASUED, MOCOPED, YABATECH, and LASU, have been without consistent electricity for over a decade, with recent cable thefts further compounding the problem.
NANS called on the government and Ikeja Electric to restore power to the region, stressing the detrimental impact of the prolonged outage on students’ academic performance and daily lives.
“We hereby call on the government to wade into the situation and restore power supply. Also, we are pleading with Ikeja Disco to do everything possible to restore electricity to Epe. Enough of darkness in the entire Epe town,” the student body stated.
The association also addressed challenges faced by University of Lagos students, including inadequate hostel accommodation and the shift to online classes. Despite the recent hike in tuition and utility fees, students are reportedly not receiving the services they are paying for, including access to on-campus facilities.
NANS called on UNILAG management to address these issues urgently to ensure a conducive learning environment.
The student body further decried the financial strain at the Lagos State College of Health Technology following a 30% increase in tuition fees, urging the college management to reconsider the hike. NANS emphasised the importance of making education accessible, particularly during tough economic times.
Additionally, the Lagos chapter raised concerns over a policy excluding students who transitioned from part-time National Diploma to full-time Higher National Diploma programmes from participating in the National Youth Service Corps.
The association appealed to the NYSC and JAMB to reverse the policy, citing the undue burden it places on students and its negative impact on their future aspirations.