Protests rock Adamawa polytechnic over lack of electricity, Water

By Yagana Ali,Yola

Students of Adamawa state polytechnic in their great numbers on Monday, staged a peaceful protest in Yola to demand restoration of electricity and water supply to ease their sufferings.

The demonstration, primarily led by hostel residents, was sparked by two weeks of persistent power outages, which have severely impacted the availability of water on campus.

The leader of the protesters, Baba Lastiri who spoke to newsmen expressed their frustration and however, called on the Adamawa State government and the college’s management to urgently address the situation. 

The Nations News Nigeria gathered that the lack of electricity has not only deprived students of drinking water but also hindered their ability to carry out basic daily activities, such as bathing.

In previous instances, students have had to venture outside the school premises in search of water, but the current situation has reached a breaking point, prompting this morning’s demonstration.

 The students are urging the authorities to take immediate action to restore both power and water supplies to the campus.

In a swift reaction, the Rector of the polytechnic, Mohammed Tangos said that the power outages are as a result of non-payment of the school electricity bill which amounts to over 3 million.

He noted further negotiations have started with the company to pay on installment, but the agreement fails which leads to disconnection of the school by the Yola electricity distribution company YEDC  from the national grid.

“But so far we  have resolved the issue and power has been restored back to the campus” he said.