Cost of hostel bed space still N90 after 40 years, says ABU

The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria has retained the N90 cost of hostel bed space fixed 40 years ago.

According to NAN, Malam Auwalu Umar, the public affairs director at ABU, confirmed the development.

Umar said, despite the ridiculously low amount being charged, the institution was able to provide hostel to 35 percent of its over 55,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students.

He said as part of efforts to complement the efforts of the institution, BUA Group and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) assisted in constructing additional hostels in the university.

Abubakar-Sadeeq Ali, the president of the Students Representative Council (SRC), said N90 was only the fee charged for bed space. He said there was another N7,000, being amount charged for hostel maintenance.

NAN, however, quoted a female undergraduate student as saying most of the rooms were always congested.

“A room meant for two students hosts about five people, while a room meant for eight students accommodates between 12 and 13 people,” the student was quoted as saying.

She added that some students sublet their bed spaces, charging between N15,000 and N35, 000, depending on the room and the hall.