By Press Council
The Polytechnic, Ibadan is an institution designed with the purpose to build mid-level and high-level manpower across the nation. There are core determinants or facilities of a well-structured institution which ranges from the conducive environment that beholds clean and well-situated lecture rooms, constant electricity supply, adequate security but to mention a few.
However, despite the serene atmosphere the institution exhibits, it still lacks visible and active operation specifically street electrification at some strategic locations in the institution hence, resulted to partially meet the expected standard. The relevance of electricity (street lights) cannot be downtrodden in any academic environment but despite the perceived capacity in providing electricity poles with street light situated at its edge, the deep blackout around the popular Students’ Union Building towards the Apete exit gate is disheartening and worthy of urgent attention.
Darkness at the aforementioned location may birth the hood of miscreant which can result to endanger the lives and property of inhabitants. This kind of environment will always be suitable for negative doers to penetrate their action at odd times without possible trace. Based on observation by Press Council correspondent, it was witnessed that despite several existing electricity poles, street lights on these roads, they are functionless just with an iota of decoration.
In several accounts commuters, it was gathered by Press council correspondent the grief and their utmost concern, “I have noticed that anytime I go through this axis, I am always with a fear in my mind because the blackout poses a place where someone can attack me without any trace”, says Seyi from FBCS. While to Dami who is a resident of Olori Annex Hostel, “there is a situation when I will need to go to Apete to buy something and also coming from fellowship, I am not although afraid of being attacked but my concern is how will there that kind of blackout beside the SUB which is very close to the female hostel. We are at the outskirt part of the halls, actions need to be taken swiftly”, she said.
“This place is very close to the security post at the gate towards Apete. Perhaps, with the street lights along this route, it will aid their performance and security architecture in this area. Also, it was functioning before whenever the Government brings power and anytime the institution switches on Generator but lately, it has been an abode of darkness,” Foluke identified.
As of the time of filling this report, Press Council tried all possible means to get to the Director; Works and Services of the Institution but his number is unreachable till the moment of gathering this report.
Based on assessment done by Press correspondent, it was gathered that light radiate only from the section of the T junction at the Students’ Union Building and the building’s environs only anytime there’s power by NEPA but there’s presence of only one solar powered Street light at the T junction too. Hence, whenever there’s is NEPA light, the whole Street lights from the small Gate Along Apete till the SUB T junction is not working. Also, the school generator switches on for hostels and strategic points powers some street light such as the ones from Olori till South campus but the subject location is also left out as the street lights never work resulting to total blackout.
Similarly, there is a need to applaud the management on the action taken to revive the street electrification along with the Lord’s Chapel till Mechatronics department. It should be recalled that a press release titled ‘’LET THERE BE LIGHT AND THERE WAS LIGHT’’ from the Press Council envisaged the need to quickly address the issue hence, actions have been taken by the management to bring back light to this area. Following this, the management is urged to quickly look into this situation to aid the security personnel staged at this location in curbing the freehand operation of deviant around the vicinity.
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