OSPOLYParrot EIC, Thomas Abidoye, Urges Mgt, Alumni To Act As Students Face Rising Rent, Transport Costs

By Samuel Akintola 

The Editor-in-Chief of OSPOLYParrot, Thomas Abidoye, has called on the School Management and Alumni Body to urgently intervene in the rising accommodation and transportation costs affecting students.

Abidoye made the appeal on Tuesday in a press statement, warning that the situation has become a heavy burden for many students who are already struggling under the current economic hardship in the country.

He explained that although the institution cannot fully control house rent or transport prices, the Management can still hold conversations with landlords, transport unions, and other stakeholders to ease the pressure on students. 

According to him, students should not be left at the mercy of transport operators and landlords who exploit their vulnerability.

Abidoye also raised concerns about the role of agents, many of whom, he noted, are former students, who now charge extremely high fees, sometimes up to half of the total rent. He said this has contributed greatly to the sharp rise in accommodation prices on and around the campus.

He revealed that single rooms now cost between ₦70,000 and ₦100,000, while self-contained apartments go for over ₦300,000, a trend he described as “unfair and impossible for many families to afford.”

“Education should not become punishment,” he said. “We cannot continue to push students out of school because they cannot afford where to stay.”

As a long-term solution, Abidoye urged the management to embrace Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to build affordable and well-managed hostels within the institution.

 He stated that despite decades of existence, the polytechnic still lacks standard hostels and has unused land that can be developed for this purpose. Such facilities, he added, would also help in monitoring new students and reducing exposure to negative influences.

Abidoye further appealed to the alumni to avoid adding extra financial pressure on students through endowment fees. He noted that some students complained of being charged even after Management announced a suspension of the levy. 

He urged alumni to seek external support for their projects instead of placing additional costs on students.

Thomas, however, called on the School Management to act swiftly, saying that timely intervention will protect thousands of students who simply want a fair, safe, and supportive learning environment.

Thomas Abidoye is also founder of World Job Info Hub, former NYSC Kogi Corps Editor-in-Chief and former OSPOLY Lens Magazine Deputy Editor-in-Chief.

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