Tucked away in a quiet corner of the university campus, the PG Hostel has been a home away from home for students over the years. But what’s it like to live in this bustling community of students? Do the hostel’s facilities and services meet the needs of its residents, or are there areas for improvement?
PG Hostel was commissioned on the 26th Sept, 2015, by Chief Don Obot Etiebet CON. The project was funded by the University Development Fund. It consists of 130 rooms in one block, and 260 rooms for the two A and B blocks, designed to accommodate 520 students in total, and 2 students in each room each.
PG Hostel Governor shared insight into the subject matter
To get a better understanding of life in the PG Hostel, the PG hostel governor, Ibrahim Simmone Mela, a 500-level student from the Faculty of Law shared his thoughts regarding students’ lifestyles, and the challenges students encounter with their hostel facilities.
“In the hostel, we encounter challenges such as water flowing into rooms, scarcity of water, and the act of stealing by unknown persons, whereby they burgle and steal the pumping machines.” He said.
However, from the challenges encountered in the hostel, he highlights some achievements he has been able to make since entering into office in May 2024.
“From the water problem which is our major challenge in the hostel, we have been able to fix water to flow into B block. The issue with A-block hostels is that there is a submersible pumping machine switch, which was stolen, so we’ve applied to the physical facilities to replace it, so that water will be able to pump inside the hostel, and I believe it will be fixed within the week.” He added.
Furthermore, Simmone Mela, gave answers to the channel of communication for complaints by students in the hostel, on challenges they face personally, and challenges they might encounter using the physical facilities in their rooms and hostel as a whole.
“We have a WhatsApp platform whereby if you have an issue you can pin it, or private chat with me or any of the executives in the hostel, that’s the senators, or my appointees.” He explained.
Reacting to the social lifestyle of students in the hostel, the Hostel Governor, Simmone Mela, gave insight to it. “In terms of social activities in the Hostel, we often have PG week which is often done in the second semester. It is a week where students engage in various social activities such as football games, and other fun activities.”
PG Hostel Hall Master
Mr. Duguryil Ufialas Daniel, Hall Master of PG Hostel also shared his thoughts on student life and challenges faced by students in the hostel. According to him, “light issues have been a problem for students. Some rooms may have light, others may not have. Sometimes, there will be light in the electric switch in rooms, but in the bulbs, there is not. Some of the rooms have problems which we are currently fixing.
Also, Water blockage in toilets is a problem, we are trying to fix it to be able to run in every room.”
He also expressed his displeasure at students’ engaging in smoking in the hostel. And so, he warned that students should desist from it as it’s against the school law, as students caught in cases like this are facing punishments such as, loss of accommodation, suspension from school and probably expulsion, all depending on the magnitude of the crime committed. “With regards to law, law breakers are served punishments such as suspension, loss of accommodation or will be expelled. And it’s based on the magnitude of the offence committed.”
Students’ Perspectives
Students living in the hostel shared their challenges they encountered in the hostel and on the social activities in the hostel.
Victoria John, a 300-level student of the Faculty of Education, Department of Science and Tech, who has been staying in PG Hostel Female block for the past three years, shared her own side of the story.
“In the few years I lived in PG Hostel, students in the hostel were actually cool. And from the people I have interacted with in the hostel, they are cool.”
She spoke about the challenges students faced in the hostel, which is Light and Water. “Students struggle to get water from the other side, and most times when they get the water, you discover that the water is not clean.”
She however, expressed her joy as PG Hostel to her is the best hostel to stay among the other hostels in campus. “PG hostel is the nicest place among other hostels. But in social activities. They don’t have social activities, as everyone is living a big man’s life, because of the money we pay, everyone feels entitled to himself.” She said.
Chuwang David, a 200-level student from the Department of Computer Science, shares his thoughts on the issues surrounding the hostel. From his experiences, the two years of his stay in the village hostel is okay. Though, he lamented on the challenges facing the hostel. “The challenges students face in the hostel are: light issues. I advise if the school management can improve on the electricity.”
Wamu Queen Gye-wado, a 300-level student from the Department of Mass Communication, expressed her joy living in the PG Hostel Female Block. She also highlights the challenges encountered by students and the social activities in the hostel.
“Staying in the hostel is very comfortable as you have your own space, you don’t get to share so many things. And because of it, the relationship between students is not too strong because of the structure of the hostel, whereby everything is in your room.
Moreover, I will say that the major challenge in the hostel is the issue of light and water.” She said.
Reacting to social activities in the hostel, she said, “we have PG Hostel week where students socialize in activities like, Hostel week, father week, bonfire, movie night and games in every second semester.
Although sometimes most students don’t engage, some engage. Which means the turnout of students for social activities is poor.”
She however provides alternatives which the school management can do to tackle the issues head-on.
“I think schools should put in place an alternative like reservoirs that can save water even if we don’t have water in the tanks for emergency contingencies.”
Henry Chiebuka, a 400-level student from the Faculty of Agriculture, shares his own side of the story. According to him he has experienced brotherly love in the hostel over the past four years of his stay in PG Hostel. There is this strong love between guys in the male hostel and that makes him love the Hostel the most.
“My experience there is brotherly love in the hostel. We have sports and social activities which guys turn out for.”
Chiebuka said they face challenges of Water, spoiled electric switches, and some structures are faulty. So he pleads with the school management to assist in the renovation of faulty rooms.
Pictorial Excerpts
Report and Photo by Pam Albert Chuwang (PG Hostel Correspondent) (2/5)
Edited by Israel Fakwagh Ciboh
