Crisis Looms In OAU Over Water Scarcity

The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU) Ile-Ife, State of Osun, has been called upon to immediately address the stoppage of water supply to hostels on campus before it snowballs into crisis.

The call was made by students of the university on Tuesday. According to them, the water supply to their various halls of residence was cut off on Friday. The development has exposed them to untold hardship and they have resorted to fetching water from a stream near their hostels.

It is reported that some buoyant students had been buying sachet water to cook and bathe, while the rest who could not afford the sachet water were fetching water from the stream.

A student, residing in the ETF Hall, simply identified as Olayinka stated, “But for some of us that cannot afford sachet water, we have been going to the stream near our hostel to get water”.

Punch reportedly contacted the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olanrewaju, who said the situation was being addressed by the management.

Olanrewaju explained that the university exhausted the chemical for the treatment of water and could not get replacement immediately.

According to him, “We wanted to buy what we normally use to treat water, but for quite some time now, that thing had been scarce. We exhausted the one we had in our store. We have eventually found the substance and the university has bought all we can find.

“I can assure the students that from today (Wednesday), regular water supply will resume. We made arrangements for tankers to supply water to the students. We are also calling on public-spirited individuals to assist us as the Federal Government cannot do it all alone.”