Date: 2018-01-14

As the fuel scarcity bites harder in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, students of the University of Ilorin and Kwara State Polytechnic were stranded at bus-stops on Tuesday and Wednesday.

It was learnt that there were few buses at Tanke, Post Office and Challenge bus-stops to convey the students to their campuses.

At the Post Office loading bay of the Mass Transit Scheme (MTS) otherwise known as Soludero buses, some students were compelled to wait from 7am till 9am to get to their various institutions.

A 200 level student of Science Education, University of Ilorin, Adewole Damilare, lamented the situation saying it has prevented him from attending lectures.

"The buses are not enough to convey us to school and the fuel scarcity is another major problem. Take for instance, as transport fare today (Wednesday) from Challenge to Tanke, I spent the sum of N100 instead of the usual N50" he disclosed.

Similarly, a 100 level student of the Department of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, Rilwan Suleiman said, "I have been waiting for two hours to board a bus to the school. As a new student, I would have been glad to be in the lecture room as early as possible. But there are few buses to convey us to school hence we had to wait for a long time. "The school authority should please find a solution to alleviate the transportation challenge," he pleaded.

Also, a student of Kwara State Polytechnic, who simply gave his name as John said, "It has been a bitter experience going through this condition. I hope the situation will be brought under control soon," he said.

Reacting, the Head of Corporate Affairs, University of Ilorin, Kunle Akogun said that the transportation challenge is not peculiar to the institution but a result of fuel scarcity in some states in the country.

"As you are aware, the problem is not a domestic one, it is not peculiar to Unilorin. It is as a result of the ongoing fuel crisis in the country. However, the management of the University of Ilorin has put a number of measures in place to cushion the effect of transportation challenges on the students. We have engaged the services of eight Soludero buses from the state government aside the intervention vehicles received from private organisations and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

"The management has also intensified efforts on the building of more hostels to accommodate more students on campus. This will drastically reduce the number of students going outside the campus every day. The welfare of students is a priority of the management," he divulged.

Similarly, the Public Relations Officer of Kwara State Polytechnic, Mallam Yunus Abdulquadri blamed the situation on fuel scarcity.