Joseph Bakare
The University of Ilorin has deployed three luxury buses to convey students and staff of the institution to and from the campus at peak periods free of charge.
The Institutions Director of Corporate Affairs, Kunle Akogun, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday said the palliative measure was designed to cushion the harsh effects of the high cost of transportation as a result of fuel subsidy removal.
He explained that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, gave the directives at the end of the 296th Meeting of the institution’s Senate.
He quoted the vice-chancellor as expressing the management’s deep concern over the adverse effect of the exorbitant transportation cost on members of the university community.
He said that the deployment of the buses was in furtherance to the earlier provision of highly subsidised transportation in which two buses were put on the road in June for a fare of N100 per drop.
Egbewole noted that Unilorin management, being aware that the cost of transportation is biting harder, decided to deploy an additional bus to the route and make the three buses free of charge for students and staff.
He said: “The three buses would be stationed at the University Bus Terminus at Tipper Garage, Tanke, between 6.30 a.m and 7 a.m and they would leave for the campus by 7.15 a.m.
“Similarly, for the homeward journey at the close of work/classes, the buses would depart the Fountain Roundabout, near the Senate Building at 3.00p.m and 4.00pm every week day.”
Egbewole also explained that the management had intensified negotiations with the state government and private commuter bus operators on how they could assist the university community in alleviating the transportation hardship.
According to him, the negotiation with the state government had resulted in the release of three buses to the University route, and that the private commuter bus operators plying Unilorin route had pledged not to charge outlandish fares.
The statement added: “Also, to facilitate the seamless prosecution of the virtual lectures initiative already put in place, Egbewole said that the University management would provide free data for all academic staff.
“The virtual lecture initiative was instituted to reduce the number of times lecturers and their students would have to come to school.
“The Vice Chancellor, however, explained that the management would come up with more palliative measures to further cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal once the University Governing Council is in place.”
According to Akogun, such other measures like financial palliatives are beyond the management as they have to be approved first by the Governing Council.
“Egbewole appreciated the students and staff for their understanding and appealed to them to continue to cooperate with the University management for the sustenance of the existing harmony on the campus and adjoining communities,” he said.