INSIDE LASU: Management Releases Interim Power Supply Schedule

Following the recent power outages faced by the Lagos State University community, the management has scheduled a temporary allocation table for electricity supply within the university. Campus Reporter learnt from a reliable source that the school is currently running on limited hours of power supply from the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) and on generators when necessary.

In the released schedule, the Babatunde Raji Fashola Senate Building will run on the EKEDC power supply from 8:00 am to 2:30 and from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm on working days only.

Faculties, Centres (For Student Affairs etc) and Units will run on EKEDC supply from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on working days only.

Staff Quarters and Ojo Campus will run on power supply from 6:00 pm to 8:00 am on working days and from 7:00 am to 10:00 am as well as from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm during weekends.

The Health Centre has access to an unlimited power supply every week.

The Works & Physical Planning Unit/Staff Club; University Auditorium/ Makanjuola Lecture Theatre, Directorates/Centre/Units and others with dedicated generators and shop vendors around the university community will all run on the EKEDC Power Supply from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on working days only.

Chronicling The LASU Power Outage 

In March 2021, the Lagos State University Community was plunged into darkness as the power supply from EKEDC to the school disconnected. EKEDC reportedly cut off the power supply to the institution because of the 29 million Naira electricity bill that the chairman of the university’s governing council considers to be too high and outrageous to pay.

The University tried to run on generators but this could not serve the university community adequately and as a result of this, the university resorted to rationing power such that each faculty gets two hours of power supply daily.

The power outage affected the water supply In the school and coupled with the heat and scorching sun, Sebasi, a 100 level student of History and international relation described life within the campus at the time as unbearable. 

“Assimilating in class was difficult because of the heat. In fact, our lecturers left the class early because the heat was just too much,” she said.

Adebola, a 100 level student of Mass Communication, had a similar story, saying he skipped classes multiple times as he could faint because of the intense heat. According to him, he was unable to even study in the library because it was dark and hot inside.

The traders and workers in the school’s market were also affected by the lack of power supply to the university. A shop owner in the Eco market claimed she lost over 50 thousand Naira worth of sales on her drinks. “The students won’t buy when the drinks are not cold,” she said. A cafe owner at the MBA described the time as “Really tough.” We operated on generators all day and the fuel dries up quickly too, the sun didn’t do us well,” he said.

The management of Lagos State University (LASU) expressed concern and acknowledged the inconveniences being shouldered by members of the University community caused by the outage.

LASU spokesperson, Ademola Adekoya, blamed the root cause of the outage on the excessively high tariff and implored the members of the university community to exercise patience and continue to show understanding throughout this challenging time.

He said: “As has been reported in several official statements before now, the challenge of power supply arose as a result of the high increase in tariff which was responsible for the excessively high electricity bill that the University was served within recent months.

“The University’s incapability to sustain such a high bill, in addition to the huge sums that regularly go into fuelling generators, compelled the decision to remove the campus from the power supply, pending when a solution is found. This was after several consultations and meetings with officials of EKEDC that failed to bear any fruits.

“While Management continues to call for understanding and support, we are obliged to intimate the University Community on steps that have been taken so far in resolving the issue, which, it must be stated, is not peculiar to LASU.

“The Management has held several meetings with the EKEDC officials at the highest level, to review the huge bill in order that the University might continue to enjoy a power supply. Discussions are still ongoing on the matter.

“To mitigate the high cost, the University had to ration power supply to faculties and offices in the interim, the number of hours of supply of power has been increased.

“The understanding and input of Stakeholders in the University have been sought severally through meetings and official releases in the bulletins.

“Efforts made so far are yielding fruits and the University management assures that in the next few days, the issue will be resolved and power supply fully restored.

“Finally, we again urge members of the University Community to exercise patience, continue to show understanding and see this as a challenging time which we shall surmount sooner, rather than later.”

Power supply rationing has since increased steadily in LASU as the management released a temporary power supply schedule for the school.