AUN students protest electricity blackout

…Management shifts exams

…Outages paralyse social, economic activities in Adamawa

Students of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, Adamawa State, on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, staged a peaceful demonstration to voice their grievances about the national electricity crisis.

The action followed a prolonged power outage which has paralysed economic and social activities in Adamawa State.

The students lamented the human and environmental cost of the prolonged outage and called on the authorities to address the situation.

A release signed by Yusuf Mohammed,

senior director, Public Affairs of AUN, a copy of which was made available to BusinessDay, stated that the students requested that their residence halls and reading rooms be powered for longer hours so they can prepare for their examinations and for more flexibility in their exam schedules.

“In a swift response, the University management shifted the start of final semester exams by three days. The spring semester examinations which were earlier scheduled for Saturday, April 27, will now begin on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Other concessions granted the students by the University management include halting of regular teaching activities to afford students more time to prepare for their exams and installation of solar power lighting and cooling systems in the library complex.

“Management also gave the students an assurance of a minimum of five hours of electricity supply until public power is restored while pledging to continue to dialogue with the body of elected student representatives, the Student Government Association (SGA),” Mohammed said.

According to him, “The students also received the assurances of the goodwill and solidarity of the University President, Dr. DeWayne Frazier who was away in Cairo, Egypt where he attended the Association of American Universities and Colleges Overseas by International Conference. The Cairo conference presented an opportunity for AUN to seek partnerships and agreements for student and faculty exchange with other American Colleges abroad.

“The students were received by senior management staff present including the Vice President for Finance, Nnenna Mosugu; Interim Provost, Professor Adewale James; Interim Registrar and Vice President Administration, Daniel Okereke, and Dean of Student Affairs, Byron Bullock.

“The management commended them for their responsible conduct and smart articulation of matters of concern, while requesting that they maintain a peaceful approach as the administration is dedicated to ensuring their overall well-being.”