UNIZIK renovates students’ hostels

The management of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has renovated the hostels in the school as the academic staff strike persists.

The renovation included fixing of toilet facilities, patching of walls, clearing of bushes around the hostels, installation of a borehole as well as the painting of the walls.

“The hostel is looking more beautiful than we knew,” said Joseph Nathan, an Economic student. “Before now we could perceive the odour of the male hostel’s toilet from our classroom but I’m currently here taking pictures with my friends behind the facility which was formerly impossible. We are happy and proud as well.”

Nweke Florence, a senior executive officer at the female hostel expressed joy as well as gratitude to the Dean of Students’ Affairs and the school authority for the renovation exercise.

She stated that it is an encouragement to them who work in the hostel as the environment has once again become conducive.

When asked how she would make sure that the environment stays clean, she said, “if I see any student messing up the environment I’ll punish the student by asking her to clean up the mess herself.”

Stanley Udedi, the Dean of Student Affairs, stated that he was only doing his job as the dean and thanked the Vice Chancellor for buying into his vision and personalizing it as though it were his.

He noted that the renovation of the hostels especially the toilet was pertinent for learning and health of students as sick students cannot learn. He also said that the renovation will reduce funds spent at the school medical centre on sick patients because the cause of their(students) sickness has been taken care of.

He added that the renovation started two years ago with the gradual fixing of internal problems before it got to the visible stage now which everyone can see.

A Monitoring and Evaluation body will be set up to ensure the proper management of the facilities as well as students, he said.

The Vice-Chancellor, Joseph Ahaneku, took a tour around the hostel to inspect the work which was done, after which he commended the DSA.

He recommended that hostel masters and wardens be appointed for effective management of facilities in the hostel. He promised that a solar panel will be installed in all the hostels for 24 hours power supply to aid reading and also improve the ambience of the university environment.

During this tour, the VC also commissioned the footbridge which serves as a link road between the female and male hostels. The footbridge was recently put in place during the renovation. Before now planks were used to create a link between the hostels and during the rainy season there was always difficult to ply the route.

He thanked the Dean for the good works and encouraged students to cooperate with the Dean of student affairs as he is the father of all students.