arly morning protest, on Monday, hit the University of Calabar (UNICAL), with students moving round the campus to draw management attention to what they called deplorable state of infrastructure in the school.
By 6am, students had come out of their hostels to embark on the demonstration, which was informed by lack of water in the hostel, poor sanitary and healthcare service, epileptic power supply, dilapidated hostel facilities and abandoned renovation work on the Halls of Residences.
Although the protest was peaceful, the students said it was unhuman for the management to keep the campus in darkness for three weeks, saying the blackout in Calabar should not affect the school.
The protesters swarmed the school main gate, preventing lecturers and non-teaching staff to move into the campus. This led to traffic congestion on the major roads leading to the school; motorists spent hours to make detour to alternative routes.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof James Epoke, led other principal officers of the school to pacify the protesters at the gate, but the students gave the VC a little audience. They told the VC to follow them to see the state of their hostels.
Prof Epoke said the management was facing financial challenge, which made it unable to meet the students’ demand. He said the school had put some facilities in place despite its financial circumstance.
He promised that the management would address the issue in due time.
The students could not be convinced by the VC’s statement; some of the protesters chanted anti-management songs. They insisted that the VC should visit their hostels.
As the protest continued, the management issued a memo stating that it would meet the demands of the students within 14 days.
Students’ Union Government (SUG) president, Ekpo Tete, said the union would ensure the management fulfilled its promise.
Ekpo, while addressing the protesters, said students should vacate their hostels to allow renovation work. He said the management had shown its commitment by road rehabilitation and purchase of over 100 mattresses for students’ use.
The Lagos State Butchers Association has urged Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to build storage facilities in markets for members to keep their meat.
Its Chairman, Alhaji Bamidele Kazeem, who spoke in Lagos at the weekend, said this is necessary to promote hygiene and ensure the meat eaten by Lagosians is safe.
He said they needed more air-conditioned vehicles to carry meat from abattoirs to markets.
Kazeem hailed the governor for appointing Oluwatoyin Suarau as the Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives and Gbolahan Lawal for Housing, saying the second coming of Lawal as a commissioner was a reward for the job he did in the Ministry of Agriculture.
Kazeem hailed the Supreme Court judgment, which validated Ambode’s election.
The rehabilitation of facilities at the Federal University of Agriculture (UNIAGRIC) in Makurdi, the Benue State capital is seen by students as cosmetic. Reason: The job, they say, is being haphazardly done. DAMSA AHANGBA (300-Level Mathematics and Computer Science) reports.
It a thanksgiving last November to mark his second year in office, Prof Emmanuel Kucha, Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Federal University of Agriculture (UNIAGRIC) in Makurdi, Benue State, unveiled his development plan for the school.
He declared a two-month break to enable the management embark on rehabilitation of facilities. The announcement was greeted with applause as students expressed hope that things would change for the better.
The VC told the gathering to judge him by his performance.
However, nine months after Prof Kucha made that promise, members of the university community have yet to feel the impact of the reform. The VC, some said, may have reneged on his pledge to make the campus conducive for learning.
The two months within which the VC promised to repair the infrastructure, was extended by a month, distorting the academic calendar. Students returned to meet their Halls of Residence almost the same way they left them. The school, they said, only painted the hostels.
Some students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, described the renovation as cosmetic, saying things may become worse if the management did not fix the decrepit facilities.
Kehinde Ajibola, a 400-Level student, who is staying in Dalhatu Tafida Hall, said the hostel was only painted, adding: “There is no difference between what we left and what we see now.”
To Chia Denen, a 300-Level student, it is not enough for the management to carry out renovation on existing facilities. He said: “The school needs to build new hostels and lecture theatres to save students from problems of overcrowding and ill-health. Painting existing hostels and lecture rooms does not serve the interests of the students.”
As the school battled overstretching of its facilities, the management decided to relocate the College of Management Sciences to the main campus, thereby increasing the number of students on the campus.
Despite the rehabilitation embarked upon by the management, students said the Halls of Residence remained unfit to live in.
Such is the Block C Hostel extension, which was built in 2012 exclusively for Veterinary Medicine students. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that ceilings in most of the rooms have fallen off and the doors broken. Students also complained that there is no power supply to some rooms.
•One of the rooms without ceiling in the school hostel
Samuel Ahokegh, a Biological Science student, living in the Block C hostel lamented the poor conditions in the hall. He said: “In my room, there is no ceiling and we have not had power supply for months. We have made several complaints but there has been no response from the porters. The heat from the sun hits us directly, making the room uncomfortable. If our parents come to visit and see how we live on the campus, they will never be happy.”
Drivers of commercial tricycle, who ply the pothole-ridden road that links the south wing of the university to its entrance, are not also happy with the state of the road. They said the state of the road had become worsened during the raining season, with the school management not making any move to patch the ditches on the thoroughfare.
Gabriel Aondakaa, a commercial tricycle driver, said: “I visit mechanic workshop every week for repair on my Keke (a local parlance for tricycle) because of the bad road.”
Corroborating him, Henry Azeeka, another driver, said he spent his profit on repair of his Keke, adding: “I manage to survive because I spend almost everthing I have on the vehicle.”
A student, who did not want his name in print, said it was shameful to see a federal university in that “messy condition”. He said: “With this type of facilities, how do you expect the university to produce graduates that can stand shoulder high with his peers in other part of the world?”
With the university preparing to host the 25th Nigerian University Games (NUGA), students wonder how the sport event would be successful when the facilities to be used for the games remained under construction.
Peter Itodo, a 300-Level student, said the school management should do deploy resources to restore the condition of facilities on the campus.
Timothy Ibinyi, a 400-Level student, expressed a contrary opinion, saying the condition of the hostels was better compared to what it used to be.
The Imo State government on Thursday expressed its readiness to host the 2015 Federation of Public Service Games (FPSG). The Games are to hold from Nov.ember 20 to December 3.
The Imo State Head of Service (HOS), Calistus Ekenze, who told newsmen at a news conference in Owerri on Friday said many sports events would feature at the competition, saying that all the needed facilities for the games were read.
According to him, the government has widened its security network to ensure the safety of the athletes.
“We will guarantee maximum security of the athletes and officials. We shall use the opportunity of the Games to show the level of hospitality in the state.
“Imo is expecting more than 15,000 athletes from all over the federation to participate in the event.”
The head of service, who noted that Imo was the first state in the South East zone to stage the event, saying the state was hosting to win.
Ekenze said the Games would not only showcase athletes from the state but would boost its economy.
He said the Games were for non-professional athletes in the public service and warned states against hiring professional athletes, who might not be public servants. He promised to involve members of the Imo branch of SWAN in the coverage of the event.
The state SWAN chairman, John Nwogu, assured the government of adequate coverage of the event.
ASO Savings and Loans Plc has asked buyers of its ASO Garden Estate not to worry about the quality of infrastructure that will be in the estate, assuring them that they would be of the international standard.
The Managing Director, Aso Savings, Hassan Musa Usman, who gave the assurance while receiving the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), Prof. Charles Inyangete, said the estate was a product of the bank’s vision of providing affordable housing to Nigerians who are desirous of living in a safe environment in the Federal Capital Territory.
Usman said the estate would change the face of property market in Abuja, adding that it aims at breaking the price jinx associated with premium properties in the city with its flexible payment plans, which do not require a prospective buyer breaking his bank account before owning a decent home in Abuja.
ASO Garden Estate, a 900-housing-unit being built on a 27-hectares of land, is located near Gwarinpa, along the Kubwa Express Road, Abuja.
It is being planned as an affordable property that the middle income earners can afford. The promoters assured that the estate will boast of a neighbourhood shopping centre, children’s playground and park, ample parking space, hospital, police post, fire service and schools, adding that it is offering all the amenities at affordable prices.
While inspecting the estate, Inyangete praised the management of ASO Savings for the quality work done on the project, saying that the estate exemplifie affordable mass housing, which was the main thrust of NMRC.
He urged other primary mortgage institutions to emulate ASO Savings’efforts by making housing available and affordable for Nigerians.
With flats at a starting price of N17 million, phase 1 of the estate comprises 249 housing units, made up of two and three-bedroom exquisite blocks of flats and four-bedroom terraces.
The project which is at 80 per cent completion, is planned for inauguration in November this year. The flats are six per block, and each has two (or three) bedrooms, with open plan living, kitchen area, all rooms en-suite. Individually priced starting at N17 million for the two bedroom and N23 million for the three-bedroom flats.The four-bedroom terraces offer a well-planned living accommodation set over two floors; these terraces have stylish features like open floor plan. There are four bedrooms on the first and second floors, all en-suite as well as a spacious kitchen. There is an adjoining dining area on the ground floor.
When completed, the estate will comprise 900 homes, ranging from two and three bedroom apartments, four-bedroom terraces to five-bedroom detached luxury houses.
Not everyone is distracted by reports of unscrupulous characters turning orphanages into hideous money-making ventures. There are groups and individuals who recognise that children without parents need help. A Dublin, Ireland-based group, Old Bende Association, has built recreational facilities for children at the Uzoakoli Motherless Babies Home in Bende Local Government Area, Abia State. The donors, made up of indigenous people of the council, also provided various food items for the orphanage.
The home, established in 1942 by the Methodist Church of Nigeria, is a refuge for orphans and abandoned children. There were about 29 children at the home when The Nation visited, but it was also gathered that some inmates have become professionals in various fields after being educated or trained in skills.
The orphanage, however, still grapples with such challenges as dearth of healthcare facilities and baby foods, and among others.
A staff in the home said that government and private hospitals still charge inmates as they do other patients, not considering the peculiarities of orphanages.
“The way we live here and play with the children, if anyone gets sick and when we take them to the hospital for treatment, even when they know that we are from this motherless babies home, they still charge us like every other person,” the staff said.
The gesture of the Ireland-based group will boost their morale.
The project and the food items donated were estimated to cost the association about N200, 000.
Speaking at the handover of the items, National President of the association, Sunday Obasi Kalu represented by Mr. James O. Anya, said that the donation was part of the Old Bende Association members in Diaspora to plough a little of their meager resources into the lives of the needy in their midst.
He expressed optimism that the facilities would go a long way in improving the health and social life of the children.
Awa Kalu, the Income Generating Officer of the home who spoke on behalf of the absent matron, Mary Corput, said that they were happy over the group’s gesture.
Kalu said that they were overwhelmed with joy when the group told them they wanted to repair and refurbish their sporting facilities which had been comatose. He expressed the hope that the coming to life of the facilities would help to improve on the inmates social life.
He called on other indigenes of the area, government, public and spirited individuals to come to the aid of the home, disclosing that the most pressing needs of the home at the moment are baby foods, diapers, access to medical facilities including drugs and among others.
He promised that they were going to ensure that whatever that the group and other individuals were going to donate to the home would be used judiciously.
The group also took out time to play with the children and also watched the children play with the donated sporting equipments.
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, PZ Cussons Foundation has renovated and handed over fully furnished block of four classrooms and a library to Okuta Dudu High School at Odo Ere in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State
Its Chairman and former Minister of Industry, Chief (Dr.) Kola Jomodu, who spoke on the occasion, extoled the contribution of the company to the economy. He said the company has kept faith with the country in good and trying times since it started operation over a century ago.
“PZ will continue to grow and expand its operation and will keep imparting technical and managerial skills on Nigerians,” Jomodu said, assuring that the company will consistently live to its mission of providing goods that will make life better.
A member, Board of Trustee of the Foundation, Engr. Tunde Oyelola, said the Foundation has executed over 48 projects across the country. He said Kogi State has had its fair share with about five projects located at Lokoja, Isanlu and now Ode Ere. He urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the facilities and maintain them for the use of future generation of students. ‘This is the only way you can encourage us to do more’ he added.
The Executive Governor of Kogi State, represented by the Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, David K. Olowomoran expressed great appreciation for the gesture. He thanked the Foundation for taking interest in the educational development of the state and called on other corporate organisations to emulate the gesture.
Communities in and around Odo Ere attended the event and were full of commendation for PZ Cussons.
PZ Cussons Foundation is managed by a 15-member Board of Trustees and funded by PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC. The Foundation has been executing PZ CSR programme in education, provision of potable water, health and road rehabilitation.
The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) has debunked reports that its members shut their facilities during the period of severe fuel scarcity.
Its Executive Secretary, Mr. Olufemi Adewole, said contrary to the erroneous stories and messages being bandied, it was the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) arm of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) and National Road Transport Owners (NARTO), that caused the problem.
According to him, the tanker drivers normally ferry the products from marketers’ depots but embarked on strike, following complaints of not being paid outstanding transportation claims by marketers, who in turn, are being owed subsidy reimbursement for petrol imports having participated in the petroleum subsidy fund (PSF) Scheme.
He said: “We are an association of highly patriotic Nigerian entrepreneurs who have invested heavily in constructing and operating petroleum products storage and sales depots/tank farms all over the nation.
“We reiterate that as importers and marketers of refined petroleum products, we never embarked on any shut-down of our depots/facilities.
“We have maintained that we would sell and load all petroleum products available to us even as delays in the payments of our reimbursement have continued to adversely affect our operations. The suspension in loading in the last few days has been due to the strike action embarked upon by PTD-NUPENG and NARTO. These two bodies had refused to load out/lift petroleum products for distribution from our depots. That is the true position.
“The allegation by Mr. Ifeanyi Uba of Capital Oil and Gas Industries that DAPPMA member companies embarked on strike is not only mischievous, but completely false and a figment of his imagination. Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited does not participate in the petroleum subsidy scheme having been disqualified from the scheme by the regulatory agency hence it does not import petrol. The company is not owed a kobo under the PSF scheme as it cannot make any claim, hence it does not feel the impact of non-payment of the subsidy reimbursements; instead the company stores petroleum products for NNPC/PPMC under a ‘throughput arrangement’ as done by a few other members of our association.
Victoria Crown Plaza Hotel, an upper end luxury hotel offering in Lagos, has reopened after shutting its doors for a few months to upgrade its facilities.
The hotel recently took some selected travel journalists on a tour of the upgraded facilities. One of the things that struck about the hotel is the ambience.
Everything about the hotel carries taste of quality, most especially in the choice of paintings and art works that dot every part of the hotel. They give the place a kind of presence one feels in top hotels in advanced countries. The aesthetic of the hotel is urbane and takes works from different parts of the world.
According to the hotel, the upgrade in the area of facilities is in line with its philosophy offering its guests the best. In addition, the hotel, according to the new general manager, Mr. Paul Neville, said there was also a retraining of the hotel staff.
The aim, he said, was to have a crop of staff that would offer the guests personalized services. He said: “We want to move into a higher level. We are retraining for personalized service. We have 49 luxury rooms with 90 staff. In line with the concept of the hotel, it is not busy or noisy. That is why discerning guests come to enjoy our facilities.
He added even though the hotel as it is, offers luxury, there are more in the offing for the guests. He said: “We have more things coming into our hotel. We want to make it as cozy as possible with personalized services. We are trying to do something different from what the other hotels are offering”.
Speaking about himself and what he was bringing to the new hotel, the new GM said: “I want to take the hotel to the next level. We have the products and we have to make people know about these products.
“We are re-establishing an effective team which can serve luxury. We try to be active to make our team deliver luxurious personalized services. That is what we are currently doing.”
VCP Hotel boasts of six categories of rooms: Classic Single, Twin Classic, Executive Suite, Executive Studio, Luxurious Suite and Presidential Suite which occupies the top most floor in its entirety.
Neville said the market potential is huge with his experience in West Africa.
The Sri Lankan general manager also said he has worked for several years in Nigeria and Ghana and is very much familiar with the taste and predilection of local and international hotel guests.
On the cuisines in the hotel, he said the hotel’s Alo Alo Restaurant offers both local and continental dishes with specialized Italian cuisines. It also has the Onyx Bar and Lounge for cocktail and after office bar.
There are also small meeting rooms with conference and the larger Marc Anthony hall that can sit about 500 to 600 theatre style.
One of the reasons for daily influx of people into Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is to enhance their well-being. While a few have seemingly realised their dreams, others are still hoping and praying that one day, all will be well.
The FCT is made up of six satellite towns which have become the abode for many. Byazhin Across is a community in Kubwa Council Area in the FCT. It is thickly populated suburb.
Located at the ends of Kubwa, Byazhin Across is a fast-growing community as many people move into it on daily basis. Residents of this community are mainly those who cannot afford the expensive accommodation in other areas of Kubwa.
Unfortunately, the infrastructural development of the community does not commensurate with its dense population. Byazhin Across community represents squalor and underdevelopment. It is a community that lacks social amenities such as pipe-borne water, regular electricity and tarred roads.
Every household owns an electricity generating set to avoid living in the dark. The residents also provide water for themselves through sinking of boreholes. Those who could not afford boreholes make use of a local river to serve their water needs. Some residents who spoke to Abuja Review recounted the awful experiences they have been going through in Byazhin Across.
Mrs. Happiness lives in a self-contain with her husband and three children. She told our correspondent that she pays N80, 000 as rent per year. She complained about lack of power supply and absense of pipe-borne water.
She said: “We just had electricity few weeks ago. If you look around, you will still see new electric poles, but the problem is we hardly get electricity. It comes like two hours in two days.”
Mrs. Happiness also stated that the area is prone to security breach as properties get stolen whenever people are not around. She, however, urged the incoming government to come to the community’s aid by providing basic amenities such as electricity and pipe borne water.
Another resident, Mr. Christopher, who hails from Cross River State expressed displeasure over what he called lack of necessities of life in the community. “I stay in a single room apartment here in Byazhin Across, and one of the major challenges for me is poor road network. From here to the express road costs N150 to and from. Towards the evening, it costs between N200 and N250 most times. The dust from the road affects my health a lot and there is hardly electricity supply to the community to enable us to do our jobs.
“I have a small generator but when there is fuel scarcity, I abandon my work and jobs until when it’s available,” he said.
He also said he rely solely on borehole and purchase water from cart pushers popularly called ‘Mai Ruwa’ at N250 per cart. Mr. Christopher calls on the incoming government to effect a gradual change on all the social needs of the community.
“I believe so much in the ability of the incoming government because I know they have our interest at heart. I would want them to bring the change into this community by gradually meeting our needs and I think constant electricity is a major need,” he said.
Mr. Turheeb lives in a one bedroom flat and pays N130, 000 per year. He said their major challenges are water and electricity. He stated that electricity is rationed and when it’s his turn, he rarely gets electricity.
“Light is a major challenge and it is one day on one day off. Sometimes when it is our turn, we do not get it,” he said.
Another resident, Mrs. Joseph, a petty trader, complained about the road and poor electricity supply. She noted that the road is often unusable during the rainy season.
“During rainy season, our road is very bad. There is no gutter, even people don’t like coming to this area because of the bad nature of the road when rain falls. We don’t have light and we buy water from borehole operators. A 25 litre gallon is N15 and 20 litre paint bucket is N10. It is expensive and I want government to do something about it; we are really suffering here,” she said.
Residents of Byazhin Across are hoping that the Federal Government will heed to their call and reduce the hardship they go through by providing the much-needed social amenities that will help in developing their community.
