The management of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has deployed three luxurious buses to convey students and staff of the institution to and from the campus free of charge.

The institution’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Kunle Akogun, in a statement on Wednesday, announced the palliative measures designed to cushion the harsh effects of the high cost of transportation as a result of fuel subsidy removal.

Akogun stated that the UNILORIN Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, gave the directives at the end of the 296th Meeting of the institution’s Senate.

He quoted the Vice-Chancellor as expressing management’s deep concern over the adverse effect of the exorbitant transportation cost on members of the university community.

He said the deployment of the buses was in furtherance to the earlier provision of highly subsidised transportation in which two buses were put on the road in June for a fare of N100 per drop.

Egbewole noted that UNILORIN management, being aware that the cost of transportation is biting harder, decided to deploy an additional bus to the route and make the three buses free of charge for students and staff.

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He said: “The three buses would be stationed at the University Bus Terminus at Tipper Garage, Tanke, between 6.30 a.m. and 7 a.m. and they would leave for the campus by 7.15 a.m.

“Similarly, for the homeward journey at the close of work/classes, the buses would depart the Fountain Roundabout, near the Senate Building at 3.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. every weekday.”

Egbewole added that the management had intensified negotiations with the Kwara State Government and private commuter bus operators on how they could assist the university community in alleviating the transportation hardship.

He stated that the negotiation with the state government had resulted in the release of three buses to the university route, adding that the private commuter bus operators plying UNILORIN route had pledged not to charge outlandish fares.

Also, to facilitate the seamless prosecution of the virtual lectures initiative already put in place, Egbewole said the university management would provide free data for all academic staff.

He added: “The virtual lecture initiative was instituted to reduce the number of times lecturers and their students would have to come to school.

“The management would come up with more palliative measures to further cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal once the University Governing Council is in place.”

According to him, such other measures, like financial palliatives, are beyond the management as they have to be approved first by the Governing Council.

The Star