By Oroke Ogbenwairhe
Students residing at Naraguta Village, University of Jos have aired their feelings concerning the hike in rents owing to inflation and school management problems.
Accommodation is one of the necessities of every student whether in a hostel or off-campus, it contributes to the well-being and academic performance of the students. But it has become a challenge as sometimes the hostel cannot accommodate all the students leaving many at the mercy of off-campus landlords, though some decide to leave outside the school due to personal preferences.
The prices of accommodation in Naraguta village are from 75 thousand naira upward. Compounds like Emerald City costs 140 to 165 thousand naira and Fun City costs 100 to 120 thousand naira.
Factors contributing to this increase range from high demand for accommodation, hyped price of building materials, skyrocketing hostel charges and to crown it all, the current economic hardship of the country. These are not the best times for students living off-campus due to the upward surge in the cost of living.
Specifically, aside from inflation, the increase in hostel charges has triggered the increase in accommodation in Naraguta village due to its closeness to the school.
In an interview with Mr Bishman, a caretaker, he said, “The hike in rent is major as a result of the hike in hostel charges in the sense that landlords feel they are helping the students by providing them with accommodations that are conducive and close.
“If I can pay almost a hundred thousand to stay in a PG hostel sharing it with somebody else then I would prefer to rent off-campus and stay alone and most of the facilities in Emerald City are not in the hostel. Aside from the increase in economy, the school also plays a huge part in the hike in rent in most of the houses in Naraguta village,” he added.
Students in most cases, as a result of their wish to live in this area due to proximity in terms of going for classes early, theft in the hostel during holidays, and other issues are left with the option of making do with the rents regardless of the shortcomings of most of this houses.
Sylvia Kangnaa, a 200-level student of Sociology, explained her ordeal. She said, “There’s been a rent increase, I paid 90 thousand naira last year but the landlord recently increased it to 100 thousand naira. Though, I’ve always had the intention of staying off campus. Because I get to keep my belongings for a long period during holidays without them being stolen seeing that it’s 100 percent safe”.
Highlighting her challenges, she said, “I chose to stay in my current place due to its closeness to school and my faculty though am not okay with the price rate because after paying such a huge amount, I still have to battle with light issues, water due to dry season coupled with some maintenance work that is delayed”, said victory a 200L of veterinary medicine department student.”
“I would like the landlord to consider the fact that we are students and considering the hike in school charges, if he can drop the rent a little and then make some things lacking available like fixing the light for us to study seeing that exams are fast approaching” she added.
