Students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) will remain off campus for the entirety of the first semester of the current academic session as the renovation of hostels has been delayed due to insufficient funding.

Investigations revealed that only three hostels have been renovated to a significant extent, while work on others is yet to commence. The slow progress is attributed to the Intermittent release of funds from the federal government.

Two months ago, the university management announced that the renovations would be completed by December 2024. Students were directed to stay off campus, with lectures conducted online. However, the Dean of Students? Affairs, Prof. Musa Obalola, has now stated that the hostels will not be ready until March 2025.

?We initially hoped to complete the renovations by December, but the pace of fund disbursement from Abuja made that impossible,? Obalola said. ?While three hostels are near completion, allocating them would cause chaos due to inadequate space. We aim to have all hostels ready by March for proper allocation.?

On the adjustment of hostel fees, Obalola confirmed that the fees would be reduced since students would only occupy the hostels for a semester.

In an interview with UNILAG Sun, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Folasade Ogunsola explained that the delays were caused by the staggered release of funds from the federal government.

?We decided on a total renovation of all hostels to address their appalling condition. Unfortunately, government funds didn?t arrive as planned. The inflationary spiral forced us to act quickly when funds finally arrived, prioritizing long-term improvements over short-term convenience,? Ogunsola said.

She added that while the decision to renovate during the academic session inconvenienced students, it was necessary for meaningful and lasting upgrades.

Currently, only students in private hostels are residing on campus. These accommodations are costly, with some going for as high as N800,000 per annum for a single-room apartment

The university management emphasized its commitment to completing the renovations as soon as possible, reassuring students that the decision was made in their best interests. Prof. Ogunsola concluded, ?If I can?t sleep in those hostels, why would I ask students to do so? The renovations are for their benefit, even if it requires temporary discomfort.? (Sunday Vanguard)

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