By Adesina Wahab

The immediate past Senate President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comr. Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, has appealed to the Ondo State government, the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC and other relevant government agencies to complete the abandoned hostel projects at the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, OAUSTECH.
In a statement he issued on Thursday, Akinteye noted that the non-completion of the hostels has exposed the students to a lot of hardship.
Recalling that as a former student of the institution, he could feel what the students go through daily in their bid to be educated.
He listed the cost and stress of coming from far distances to get to the campus and the students being denied social life on campus.
“I write with empathy as an alumnus of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), who, during my undergraduate days, was affected by the challenges of a non-residential campus. As a foremost student leader, keen on the welfare, security, and wellbeing of Nigerian students, I hereby appeal to the Ondo State Government, the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) regarding the prolonged abandonment of the students’ hostel project at OAUSTECH.
” To start with, it is noteworthy that a non-residential campus is both inadequate and unsuitable for a conducive learning environment. The absence of a functional student hostel at Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH) poses significant challenges to students’ welfare and overall academic experience. Alas, students are forced to commute long distances daily, exposing them to security threats, accidents, and crime. We have on record the high level of insecurity off-campus, including the persistent incidents of burglary in student hostels, with students’ valuables frequently stolen.
“Moving forward, the absence of an on-campus hostel imposes significant financial burdens on students through transportation and off-campus accommodation costs. It is unfortunate that students must commute long distances daily, spending heavily on transport just to attend lectures, which drains them both financially and mentally. Consequently, students are unable to fully participate in campus life or engage in extracurricular activities that enhance their overall learning experience. Furthermore, the lack of on-campus hostel facilities has created a gap that off-campus landlords exploit by charging exorbitant rents, knowing that students have limited or no alternatives.
“Beyond this, the lack of an on-campus hostel negatively affects students’ academic performance due to limited access to campus facilities such as libraries and laboratories. Commuting long distances can lead to fatigue, which reduces the energy available for study, group work, and other essential academic programmes, thereby hampering learning. Outside academics, students dispersed off-campus have fewer opportunities to interact and network with their peers, limiting social cohesion and engagement in campus life.
” To this end, I humbly appeal to the Ondo State Government, the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to urgently ensure the completion of the long-abandoned hostel project at Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH) as a matter of utmost urgency and necessity for the welfare and academic wellbeing of students.”