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From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
The management of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has denied an allegation making the rounds on the internet that it evicted a visually impaired student from the institution’s hostel for raising concerns about accommodation conditions.
Reports in some sections of social media alleged that a visually impaired 300-level student, Nnamdi Daniel, at UNN was evicted from his hostel following a viral video highlighting alleged poor hostel accommodation conditions in the institution.
Clarifying the situation, Mr Inya Agha Egwu, Acting Public Relations Officer of the institution, in a press statement on Friday, said that the allegation was false and misleading, insisting that the said visually impaired student, Nnamdi Daniel, is still in the institution’s hostel.
According to the statement, “The Management of the University of Nigeria has taken note of a trending social media post alleging that a visually impaired student, Nnamdi Daniel, was ejected from his hostel for raising concerns about accommodation conditions. We wish to categorically state that this allegation is false and misleading,” the statement stated.
The statement noted that over the past few weeks, the university’s Directorate of Accommodation has intensified efforts to sanitise the hostels by evicting illegal occupants in order to address the persistent issue of overcrowding and improve living conditions for students who are officially allocated bed spaces.
“The defaulting students were given 72 hours to vacate the hostels. This is coming after they have stayed in the hostel free for over two months. The ultimatum given to the defaulters has nothing to do with any press engagement as alleged.
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“The student, referenced in the circulating report, had not yet made payment for hostel accommodation allocated to him. However, in line with the University’s tradition of empathy and inclusiveness, he was allowed to remain in the hostel pending when he will be able to pay for his space.
“Nnamdi Daniels is still in the hostel though he is yet to pay for the accommodation,” the statement noted.
The press statement noted further that the University Management is concerned by the inaccurate narrative suggesting that the visually impaired student was forcefully evicted, adding that the present administration has in place a policy on inclusiveness and anti-discrimination which protects students and staff with special needs.
“It is important to note that, for the first time in the history of the University, the present administration has in place a policy on inclusiveness and anti-discrimination which protects students and staff with special needs.
“The Management of University of Nigeria is firmly committed to providing a safe and conducive living environment for all students, including those with special needs. In line with this commitment, the Management has taken bold steps to address decades of systemic neglect of some of the hostels on our campuses, many of which were built in the 1970s and 1980s. As part of the efforts, the procurement processes for the renovation of Eni-Njoku male hostel, Balewa, Nkrumah and Eyo-Ita hostels have been concluded. Construction of new hostel blocks for students in the faculties of Clinical Sciences, Pharmacy, and Nursing Sciences at Ituku-Ozalla has already started. There are ongoing processes to concession and rehabilitate Zik’s Flats through a Public-Private Partnership arrangement.
“At this period of transformation in the University of Nigeria, the Management needs the support, encouragement and understanding of its stakeholders to enable it to address the hostel challenges and other infrastructure issues.
“We urge our students, staff and alumni to remain calm and trust the commitment of the current University Administration,” the statement added.
