We Spent N1.4bn On Electricity In 2021, Says UNILAG

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) Akoka says it spent up to N1.4 billion on electricity bills in the last one year.


The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, gave this hint at a press briefing for the ongoing 52nd convocation ceremonies of the university, saying the amount is huge and killing for a university as Unilag that is providing social services.


He said the university electricity bill is increasing each year particularly due to increasing electricity tariff in the country and that the university would have long come up with an alternative and more effective source of power internally and at a lower cost but for the insecurity and slummy topography nature of the university environment.


But even at that, he noted, the university is currently working out something in that direction.


Speaking about the convocation for the 2019\2020 set, Prof Ogundipe said the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, would deliver the convocation lecture on Monday, January 17 and would speak on “Building Back Better: Creating a New Framework for Tertiary Education in Nigeria in the 21st Century.”


He said the convocation ceremony from both undergraduate and postgraduate studies would feature award of first degrees, diplomas, certificates and prizes to a total of 12, 217 graduating students across departments between Tuesday 18 and Thursday 20 holding in two sessions, morning and afternoon.


Giving statistics, he said a total of 7,799 would graduate with first degrees and 238 of them with first-class honour and with the faculty of engineering leading the pack with 63 students, while 4,418 would receive postgraduate degrees with a 68- year-old woman, who is the oldest in the set graduating as a PhD holder

Prof Oluwatoyin, who said the convocation ceremony would be the last for him as vice-chancellor of UNILAG having already spent four years and two months out of his five-year single term named Ekeoseye Elizabeth Osereme of the Department of Zoology (Environmental Toxicology and Conservation Option) with a CGPA of 4.95 out of possible 5.00 points as the overall best graduating student at the first-degree level while Umudu Joy Chinyere who obtained her PhD in Mathematics (Pure), as well as Ehiorobo Osa Abraham who obtained his PhD in Management, would graduate with the best PhD. Thesis overall and in humanities, respectively.

He explained that the university is continued to record better results each year due to improved commitment of students and lecturers and other university workers, as well as upgraded facilities in the university community.