Kwasu VC calls for re-routing of Malete Power Lines

The Vice-Chancellor of the Kwara State University, Professor AbdulRasheed Na’Allah has called for the re-routing of Malete power lines from Alapa to Shao, to enhance effective supply of electricity to the University and its host community.

Professor Na’Allah stated this at a meeting he held with members of the University’s host community and relevant government agencies to address problems being experienced by students in accessing social amenities.

The meeting addressed issues such as electricity, water, house rent and other public services.  The VC stressed that KWASU cannot achieve a world-class status, if it continues to battle with irregular supply of electricity.

He therefore advocated a special power line for the institution just as he emphasised the need for regulations in the use of electrical appliances by members of the host community and the students.

Some students of the institution invited to the meeting who are resident in Safari said the area has been in total blackout for more than six months due to lack of transformer, stressing that the one provided is yet to be energised.

A representative of Malete Community and Youth Leader equally noted that out of the three transformers provided for the Malete Community, only one is functional. He also identified incessant falling of wooden power poles in the community as another contributory factor to the power problems being faced by residents.

Responding, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy in Kwara State, who represented the Commissioner, Elder G.Y. Jimoh advised KWASU management to make a request for Power Sub-Station to address the University’s electricity problem permanently and requested the community to forward their requests to the Energy Ministry for necessary action.

Earlier, the students noted that they were denied access to some boreholes in the community to which the Commissioner for Water Resources in the State, Engineer Idris Abubakar intimated the gathering of the efforts of Federal Legislators from the State to provide Malete with a waterworks, through the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority. When completed, he said, the waterworks will have a capacity of providing two million liters of water per day to the community.

Similarly, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Alhaji Wahab Opakunle remarked that KWASU students are well-trained as evident in the way they handle problems, and assured that necessary steps would be taken to meet their demands.  

On his part, the Chairman, Moro Local Government, Hon. AbdulGaniyu Ajibola promised to provide two hand-pump boreholes for Malete community, while faulty ones would be repaired by the Council to cushion the effects of water scarcity in the area.

The meeting also agreed to find lasting solutions to high house rent, security challenges and other problems facing KWASU students in the community.

Representative of the Daudu and Magaji of Malete thanked the University management for the support and commitment to the development of the community. They also appreciated the government functionaries for attending the meeting which they described as a demonstration of good leadership.