UniJos students in accommodation dilemma as ASUU strike persists

Students of UniJos say the impasse between ASUU and the Federal Government will have lasting financial repercussions on their lives.  The students who live in private accommodations outside the school campuses say they are likely to encounter accommodation challenges when their tenancy ends and it’s time to renew the rent. Daily Trust Saturday reports that […]

Students of UniJos say the impasse between ASUU and the Federal Government will have lasting financial repercussions on their lives. 

The students who live in private accommodations outside the school campuses say they are likely to encounter accommodation challenges when their tenancy ends and it’s time to renew the rent.

Daily Trust Saturday reports that this problem will only affect students who live off campus as it is routine for those within the university campus to pay both tuition and accommodation fees every session, and therefore, are not affected by any strike action.

Nonetheless, with the on-going ASUU strike, many students of Unijos who live off campus told our correspondent that they are now in a dilemma, considering that their rent could end before the strike is called off. 

For David Terver, a 400L Civil Engineering student, who lives as an off-campus student at the Amshurken hostel, Filin Sukuwa in Jos North Local Government Area, landlords do not care whether ASUU is on strike or the school is closed, as the tenancy period is not determined by those factors. “It is not the concern of any landlord whether the school is in session or not because once the tenancy period which is usually annual expires, the landlord expects you to either renew your accommodation fee or leave the premises.”

Terver, who hails from Benue State, said due to the prolonged strike action, he would most likely pay another rent should the academic staff union continue with its strike action. “We paid N120, 000 for the accommodation and as it is, the money is running but the school is not in session. This is directly affecting my parents because they will have to pay another rent at the end of the year for an un-utilised accommodation.” He said the money could be utilised for other necessities and urged the federal government and ASUU to find a common ground so that students can resume.

Hana Ogah, a final year Chemistry student, who is accommodated at the Jang Hostel located at Filin Sukuwa, less than a kilometre from the university campus, also shared a similar experience saying with the current economic difficulties, it was unfair to have students pay rent twice in one academic session.

She said: “The fact that we get to pay even when we are not studying is not a welcome idea. When you pay for one year and the agreed period expires, the landlord will ask for another rent because it’s not his business that you have not been going to classes or that you have even relocated home due to strike.”

She however said her landlord showed some level of consideration during the COVID-19 pandemic when he extended the months for occupants. “But I don’t think he will do the same this time because it is a strike by ASUU. It is a burden that we have to bear and it’s been a great challenge.”

For Tyopev Michael, a 500L law student, no student including those living on campus would wish that the strike action should continue because it was additional spending for all even though those living off campus spend more compared to those in school hostels. Michael noted that staying in the school hostels is cheaper but the school hostels are not adequate to accommodate all students, hence the need for others to live off campus.

“For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, those who are accommodated in school hostels paid their accommodation fees before the pandemic and when the school resumed after the national shutdown, nobody asked them to pay additional accommodation fee. It was not the same for those living off campus as they will have no choice but to pay once the stipulated rent period expires,” he said. 

He however explained that in the present instance, the landlords cannot be blamed for demanding rent when the agreed tenancy period expires and hopes that the strike action is quickly called off before the rent expires. “I will feel bad if my rent expires and ASUU doesn’t call off the strike. My prayer is that President Muhammadu Buhari would hear this and be proactive in dealing with ASUU and the Nigerian youths,” he added.

Atswam Sixtus, a 200L student who lives in Rusaw community, said he paid N90,000 for his accommodation and hasn’t slept in the room for one month when lecturers went on strike. He said if the action continues, he would be forced to pay another rent before the session ends. “I don’t blame the landlords because they are not the cause of the problem but our parents would feel the pain because they work hard to get the money,” he said.

“If the year ends, our parents will have to pay for another year even if the session doesn’t end,” adding that getting such huge amount was a struggle for his parents but understands why landlords demand for their money at the end of the year whether the house is occupied or not. 

We are out for business – Landlords

Landlords have expressed sympathy with students but said they are in the business of making money and therefore cannot be held responsible for the impasse between the federal government and ASUU. Yusuf Suleiman, a landlord in Anguwan Rogo community in Jos North, said tenancy is a business venture and there was no way a landlord would forfeit the accommodations fee because ASUU is on strike. “We built the rooms for business purposes and just like everyone makes plans, we also plan our expenses.”

“We know it is painful for someone to pay rent twice in one academic session, but that is not our fault. We plan ahead of time, sometimes before the year ends, we have our plans ready on how to use the money from the rent and we cannot relinquish our needs because ASUU is on strike.”

He said during strike actions, landlords have no rights to retrieve the rooms from the students and hand over to others in need until the tenancy period ends because that is the agreement.

Suleiman however said landlords were thinking of increasing accommodation fees after the year runs out due to the current economic challenges in the country, noting that goods and services have become expensive.

For Muhammad Hassan, another landlord in Filin Sukuwa, there are reasons why accommodation fees cannot be forfeited for the students. He said landlords pay maintenance fees as well as security personnel who oversee the area to ensure safety of occupants and property. “So how do we get the money for that if we do not collect the rent? We need the rent to settle expenses.”