High transport fares: Students groan, skip classes

NANS logo

From Iyana Ipaja to Yaba, Lagos, Joyce, a student of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, used to spend N1,000 on public transport before taking another bus to campus for her lectures, but the fare has risen steeply to N1,500 – no thanks to the increase in fuel price that has led to an increase in transport fare. Because she lives in Ayobo area with her parents, the 200 level student now spends close to N4,800 daily on transport to school and back home. She is not alone. Many students of the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo who live in Ijanikin area because of high accommodation rent in Iyana Iba axis, are having a rethink of moving back near their school, as the cumulative cost of transport in a year, now exceeds what one could spend on accommodation.

Relating her experience, Joyce told Vanguard Learning that the situation has prompted some students to skip classes. “Just a few months ago, I was spending less than N3,000 to commute to school and go back home. But now, the situation has changed. The cost is almost double. The transport cost is different from the stress one experiences occasionally. If it rains now, be rest assured that you are going to pay more. Motorists are blaming the situation on the increase in fuel price and the attendant increase in the cost of other items, including vehicle spare parts.

“You may ask why I don’t live on campus or close to school. The cost is also outrageous. We have over 40,000 students scrambling for about 8,000 bed spaces. The private hostels are just out of reach. You heard recently how one of the private hostels charges over N500,000 per bed space. That means they want to make N2 million per session from a room.

“Even those who live close to school are complaining that the transport fare is too high. From Yaba to Akoka campus, it was N100 before , but now, those private vehicle owners now collect N300. The stress is too much for students and for our parents who are struggling to make ends meet,” she noted.

VC averts student unrest at EKSU

The increase in transport fares in and around campuses almost led to student unrest at the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti. The timely intervention and proactive steps taken by the Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ayodele, prevented what could have been an ugly experience. Drivers of popular Akoto buses, had increased their fares from Fajuyi Park to Iworoko, the main campus of the university, from N500 to N1,000 per trip.