As Federal Polytechnic, Oko remains seemingly oblivious to escalating costs for most student accommodation and sundry costs, students shared their questions over incessant fee increment by landlords in and around the campus community.
By Anastasia Mbabie — Staff Reporter
Every new academic year has been adjudged to pose great challenges and cause untold hardship to students of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State over incessant accommodation fee increment by landlords and ladies in the community.
Consequently, students of the institution are wailing over the reoccurring decimal as some are yet to secure an apartment due to the drastic cost increase.
Some of the students who could not afford to pay the new accommodation rate are forced to vacate by vigilante groups of the community or threatened to seize students’ property.
Information gathered was that majority of the students are now squatting to enable them to meet up with other fees in the Polytechnic including textbooks increase.
A Single room apartment which was 50,000 naira to 70,000 naira is now 75,000 naira to 95,000 naira, while self-contained was previously 80,000 naira to 120,000 naira now rates 100,000 naira to 200,000 naira.
Speaking with some students, including Chike Okoye of Science and Laboratory Technology Department and Miss Chioma Iheanacho of Library and Information Department, said the situation is terrible “we wonder why Oko landlords would keep using students to play yahoo every year. No atom of human sympathy knowing that students are suffering while some parents could not afford the payment.
Emeka Avowu of Electrical and Electronics Department said he had to park out to a very far lesser hostel but the transportation fare is another major problem, calling on the Management of the Polytechnic and Students Union Government to wade into the matter in order to alleviate the students’ plight and reach a worthy compromise.
Meanwhile, speaking with a landlord, Mr. Isaac Onyebuchi, the reason for the increment was to improve their livelihood and as well train their children, since they have no other sources of income.
Another landlord, Mr. Izuchukwu Okeke said that his hostel is his private business and won’t joke with it, adding that the apartment increment was attributed to economic regression in Nigeria orchestrated by bad leadership.
*Anastasia Mbabie, is a student reporter and intern with The West African Pilot News
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