Students Narrate Ordeal Amid Hostel Rent Increment

LASUSTECH Third Gate       Photo©: Moshood Hameedat 

Features

Safiu Kehinde

Behind every new tidings lies new opportunities which every individuals look towards tapping into. This can be said of the transmutation of Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) to Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH).

While the school is bracing itself ahead of the new dawn, over 5000 prospective students are already knocking at the door of admission to the new University’s programmes.

Also in preparation for this likely increase in student population, the host community popularly known as First Gate and other nearby communities such as Odogunyan, Ogijo, Itamaga, and others are expectant of their share in the bounty with increase in hostels construction which also come with increased rent fee- a development that has started taking effect on the current students in the institution.

In an interview with a cross section of the students on campus, it was disclosed that the cost of acquiring hostel is on the increase by agents and landlords, particularly for the newbies.

Eniola Blessing, a year one student of Food Technology, narrated how her rent fee for a single room had skyrocketed within six month of moving in with the landlord using maintenance as reason for increment .

“I joined someone there and the rent fee was 48,000 Naira then. But suddenly, the landlord said he wants to increase the rent due to maintenance. He eventually increased the rent fee from the price we met to 100,000 Naira.

“He said he wants to get pumping machine as there is no water in the house and also make provision for Water Closet. The only thing done since we made payment is the Water Closet.” Eniola said.

Similarly, another year one student from Electrical Engineering, Bello Qudus, had to cough out 100,000 Naira alongside his roommate for a single room.

For Adebimpe Abiru, a HND2 Estate Management student who lives at First Gate, the cost of building materials is one factor responsible for the increment.

She, however, alleged that landlord association also cause the increment.

“It used to be like #150,000 ( for a room self-contain). But it’s now close to #180,000. There is one thing about this first gate hostel. It is like they do have a landlord association meeting where they tender a particular amount of money as rent for a particular property or apartment. Again, most things are more expensive which must have been the reason behind the increment.” She said.

Meanwhile for Isaiah Ayomide to get a more conducive one room self-contain, he had cough out #350,000 while paying #250,000 in subsequent years.

The year two student had to leave his first hostel, where he paid #250,00/year, due to low power supply and lack of water.

“ I left my first hostel due to low power supply, but most importantly water. Now I don’t have problem with those in my new hostel, but the rent is high. As compared to my old hostel which I got at the rate of #250,000, I had to pay #350,000 for this new hostel with #250,000 agreement for subsequent years.” Isaiah said.

Speaking of power supply and water, these are among the loads of challenges, aside hostel fee, facing LASUSTECH students.

It could be recalled  that Laspo Watch reported students protest at PHCN’s Undertaken Office Lasunwon branch over unstable power supply during preparation for last semester examination.

While the power supply is currently stable to some extent, other challenges still persists.

For Eniola Blessing, she had to deal with increased transport fare from Odogunyan to school.

“Though the environment is conducive, but it’s a little bit far from school. How I wish the house rent is lesser because we also have to bear the high cost of transport fare. I spend #350 daily for transport while those who come from areas like Agric do spend about #500 on a daily basis.” She said.

Eniola also decried the decried the exorbitant electricity bills she and her roommates had to pay.

“The electricity bill is too much. We pay an estimate of #30,000 per month which is shared across the nine rooms in the hostel. Each room contributes #3000 Naira which is not even sufficient to pay the bill.”

While Olagoke Value, a year one Mechanical Engineering student, is privileged to get a room for as low as #65,000, he has to deal with exorbitant electricity bills, waste management bill, undrinkable water, and insecurity.

“Aside the hostel rent, we pay extra bills like power supply, lawma, and others. These bills are not something you can rush to pay- especially for light where we pay about #5000 per room every month.

“Though we have water, but it is not drinkable. We do manage it sometimes for cooking after parboiling.” He said.

Alongside his roommates, Olagoke could afford to pay the exorbitant electricity bill. But same is not the case for Oye, a HND2 Estate Management student, who had to relocate from his hostel due to electricity bill.

“I had to relocate from my old hostel due to electricity bill. I do pay almost #5000 just for a room. Without pumping machine, I was just paying the money for paying sake.” He said.

For Bello Qudus, it is not only electricity bill that is unbearable. The poorly maintained bathroom and toilet had left him and others bathing outside the hostel most times.

On solution to the challenges, the students  considered having hostels within the campus as a means of solving most of the challenges, particularly the increase in hostel rent.

“ We will like to have hostels within the school as this will lessen the price of getting hostel outside.” Olagoke Value suggested.

Similarly, Adebimpe Abiru was of the view that having hostel within the campus will pressure landlords and agents to lower their guard.

“If the school can provide accommodation on campus for students, the hostel owners will perceive it as competition which can make them reduce their charge fee.” She said.