Protesting students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Benin City, Edo State have blocked the ever-busy Benin/Lagos expressway, taking to street football match.

The students have equally shut down the main gates leading to the Ugbowo main campus of the university, depriving staff of the institution from leaving or going into the school premisses.

CAMPUS GIST reports that the students are protesting failure of the school management to restore electricity and water to those living in the university’s hostels.

The protest which commenced at about 6.a.m on Friday has halted vehicular movements in and out of the ancient city of Benin.

Our correspondent observed that many travelers to and from Lagos were forced to take to other alternatives, including the popular Benin bypass.

CAMPUS GIST reliably gathered that the students had earlier written to the school management to fix the water and electricity problems but nothing had been done to resolve the issue.

As at the time of filing this report, at about 11:30 a.m, the ever-busy and commercial Ugbowo axis of the city is currently at a standstill.

Efforts to obtain comment from the university’s public relations officer (PRO), Mr Michael Osasuyi, proved abortive.

When our news crew visited the institution’s administrative block, otherwise known as VCO, it was void of the usual day-to-day activities.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. F.F.O Orumwense; Registrar, Mrs O. A. Oshodin and PRO were said to be out of town when our news crew called at their offices.

This is not the first time students of the University of Benin will be protesting against epileptic power supply and lack of water in the school’s hostels.

Postgraduate students of the school had last semester, protested against the development which led to the suspension of some hostels mayors and mayoress.

SpecialAdviser:
Honestly, I wonder how those who are proud of being Nigerians manage to survive their mental state.

I personally have always been angry being born a Nigerian.
UNN used to have a hostel where you defecate on already piled up sh***ts as at 1999 when I schooled there.
Just recently I asked my juvenile cousin who stay in one of the hostels and he said it is even worse.

PoliticalWitch:
Hmm

Our budget for the new year is 20billion dollars. Meanwhile, countries like the US and the UK would probably be spending more than two times that amount of education.

Meanwhile, we aren't earning enough from oil. Oil is at $60 per barrel. We need it at $139 per barrel to earn enough so as not to borrow.

Meanwhile our universites are chronically underfunded. The VC of ABU said, in a speech some two years ago that his overhead costs are N120million annually (and ABU is a very large university occupying a large landmass...so that cost might be an underestrimate). Government gives them N50million for overheads. Where is he going to get the remaining 70million.

The short term solution is fee increases, or we cut fuel subsidy and add the N450BILLION to education's budget...or we take another loan.

SpecialAdviser:
Honestly, I wonder how those who are proud of being Nigerians manage to survive their mental state.

I personally have always been angry being born a Nigerian.
UNN used to have a hostel where you defecate on already piled up sh***ts as at 1999 when I schooled there.
Just recently I asked my juvenile cousin who stay in one of the hostels and he said it is even worse.

Angelfrost:


You guys actually assume these issues are due to absence of funds... Lol... Increase fees, even increase budgetary allocation, borrow heaven and earth... It won't change!!! The imbeciles you call school administrative boards will simply embezzle the funds.

Okwyjesus:


Bro you are a Super Lion indeed. That's what make you Super.
My experience was terrible. One day l went to bath but was pressed. l managed to climb the loads to do the needful in the piles of Shi**. But the worst happened. My leg mistakenly slipped into the mess. l was like this leg need to be cut off. l washed and washed and washed.
Then l choose to be doing it in the bush.

After they will be signing Hail Varsity of Nigeria, my Alma Mater for Princess Alexandra Hall.
Abeggggg

cutievik:
It's sad we have one of the worse V.Cs the University of Benin has ever produced...A man that lacks the ability to construct good sentences....we dey see shege for here!

PoliticalWitch:
Hmm

Our budget for the new year is 20billion dollars. Meanwhile, countries like the US and the UK would probably be spending more than two times that amount of education.

Meanwhile, we aren't earning enough from oil. Oil is at $60 per barrel. We need it at $139 per barrel to earn enough so as not to borrow.

Meanwhile our universites are chronically underfunded. The VC of ABU said, in a speech some two years ago that his overhead costs are N120million annually (and ABU is a very large university occupying a large landmass...so that cost might be an underestrimate). Government gives them N50million for overheads. Where is he going to get the remaining 70million.

The short term solution is fee increases, or we cut fuel subsidy and add the N450BILLION to education's budget...or we take another loan.

emkz:


I couldn't help but reply to you.

In the long run, it is inefficient for the government to fund universities. Every university must fund itself, and I have argued that the easiest way is through fees, before government grants and commercialising research output. The fees charged in the UK, US, Australia and Canada reflect the cost per student. Subsidising education in a large population like ours is daft. It is unsustainable.