By Evelyn Ayimi Yakubu
The University of Jos students who live in Rusau Community have raised viable concerns over the lingering power supply rationing ahead of the first semester examinations of the 2022/2023 session in December.
The unstable power which has been a recurrent issue in the student-populated community has caused ripple effects on the availability of water, and hardship in cooking, as a result subjecting both the students and other residents to untold hardship.
The Students after hectic lecture hours return home every day to source water From the few wells In the community, they scramble for a place to change their electrical appliances and cook. This is taking a toll on their overall well-being and academic performance.
Reacting to the hardship being experienced by the students, Sylvester James, a 400-level student of the Department of Psychology, expressed his dissatisfaction with the rationing arrangement of the power distribution company as it has brought undue suffering and shame to him.
“It is so disheartening that I have to live this way every day. I feel ashamed as a guy carrying a bucket around from one compound to the other searching for a well to fetch water. I wish something could be done as fast as possible because I am very tired of the whole thing,” he lamented.
Similarly, Denden, a 400-level student of the chemistry department expressed his disappointment in the leaders of the community, as he believes they have not done enough to resolve the issue bearing in mind the economic benefits of the student to the area.
“The Power situation has been the same since I have relocated here in my 200 Level. I’m now in the 400 level, the problem has not improved, instead, it is getting worse. The transformer is repaired almost twice every week due to constant explosions and the community leaders have done nothing to mobilize the residents to look for a way to bring a lasting solution to the matter despite all the rent dues students have paid over the years,” he said.
Blessing Paul, a 300-level student of mass communication also bore her displeasure and urged the community elders to Liaise with the officials of Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JDEC) and come up with a solution as fast as possible to abet the negative impact on students in the forthcoming examination.
On the other hand, the community head of the Rusau, Mr Sati, revealed that the reason for the rationing of the power supply is to be able to reduce the workload on the Transformer, as the capacity is not enough to feed everybody at the same time.
“In the past, we used to have an uninterrupted power supply, but due to the increase in the population, the workload on the transformer exceeded its capacity. Thereby causing constant explosions. The elders and some JEDC staff sat down and reasoned a way out of the constant explosion and the only way was to ration the light, to help reduce the workload on the transformer, and the community elders are working assiduously to resolve the matter as they understand the plight of not only the students but other residents of the community.”
He added, “We are currently waiting for the response of the JEDC officials. We have laid our complaint to them because the suffering is becoming unbearable for everybody in the community. On our part, we have informed the people of the plan on the ground to raise money through contributions to resolve the issue once and for all.”
Wonderful piece. I really hope that the University look into this