STUDENTS FROWN AS UNICAL MGT CONSTRUCTS A CENTRAL CAR PARK

A tractor working in the Open Pavillion

Construction work has commenced at Open Pavilion, University of Calabar by the school management following its resolve to convert the multi-purpose Open Pavilion to a central car park, but the students are not happy with that development

The Open Pavilion used to be an event centre used for open-door occasions by the University management such as Matriculation Ceremony, Convocation ceremony among others. 

On some occasions, the Open Pavilion is been given out to other cooperate organization for their events such as the National Youth Service Corps for the Passing-Out Parade of youth corps members. Also, the open pavilion is given out to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for training programs for the ad-hoc electoral officers before gubernatorial or national elections.

Open Pavillion being used for election; Students casting votes

Due to the proximity of the pavilion, the various student associations and kparakpo (traditional student association) groups use it for congresses, ceremonies and other activities. Annually, the Calabar University Electoral Committee (CUECO) used the pavilion for the Students Union Government (SUG) election because of its large size. The pavilion was equally used by the SUG for open-door events such as Inter-Faculty games, football competitions among others. During weekends, some students used the pavilion as recreation centre; they used it to play friendly-matches which often lasted from morning hours till mid-day and sometimes they would resume in the evening. Some students used to also gather at the pavilion for sprinting exercises, gymnastics and body-fitting outings.

During exam periods, students would move chairs from nearby lecture halls and to the Open Pavilion read especially at night. They believe the area is usually more quiet and ambient at night. During the day time, the open pavilion features a bee-hive of activities. Student-lovers hang-out there with their lovers on day times, sharing and making love as hawkers move around displaying various niceties good for launch. Other students used to hang-out there on leisure hours with their friends, having nice times.

Upon resumption for the new academic session (2014/2015), a construction work began at the pavilion. The construction started with land-scraping and dredging. The green-field plants were scraped-off by the earth-moving caterpillars, tractors and hand workers. Trips of red-mud sand were also found at the open pavilion hipped at various corners.

The construction workers and site officials refused to make comments when asked what was going on in the pavilion. One of them said it was not their duty to comment on the project.

In a chat with the Mr. Eyo Bassey who is the Public Relations Officer of the University, he said that the construction is a primary project by the University to convert the Open Pavilion into a car park. “There is an internal complain of car-park challenge around the Main Camp area and you know there is no other place that we can take the cars to. You cannot tell people not to come into the school with their cars. It is not wise enough. So the area will be converted to a car park since it is central and all those cars that do not have specific parking locations will be directed to the central car park where they will be properly kept.

It can be recalled that when Prof. James Epoke took over as the Vice Chancellor of Unical, he introduced a development plan for the university which is expected to last for 5 years, 2010 to 2015. The Development Master Plan as it was code-named is aimed at reviving the university system to be one of the first class universities in the world. In line with the agenda, Campuslife was informed that the Central Car Park is aimed at uplifting the aesthetics of the university so as to give the school the look of an academic environment.

A Professor of Social Science who pleaded anonymity said “if you go to foreign universities, you will see how a university should look like. Everything is well organized. The universities over there have street lights, traffic lights, reflections of fanciful colours. There is no university that has all these features in Nigeria. I applaud the Vice Chancellor coming up with the initiative in order to make the school look good.

The students of Unical seem not to be smiling over the development. Chris Udoh, a student in Faculty of Education said “Open Pavilion is a place where we go sit out during free periods. There is no other place like that where we can sit out with our friends”.

The Students Union Government (SUG) President Comr. Emmanuel Ajang told Campuslife that the development did not go down well with the students. He said: “I was in Abuja for a conference when I received information that tractors and bulldozers were excavating the field at Open Pavilion. I was surprised because there was no prior notice from the management that such a work was coming up. And you know the Open Pavilion is a place the students love so much because of its multi-purpose nature”.

He continued: “Immediately I came back from Abuja, I met with VC to raise that issue. I expressed the annoyance of the SUG regarding the project and especially the fact that the SUG was not informed. The VC apologised for that and noting that the proposal which had been with the Federal Government was recently approved and money was released so it must be done”.

To some students they are not angry with the Car Park project but the demolition of Open Pavilion to be used for the car park. They advised the management on how to make the Car Park a more unique one.

Solomon Okon, a student said “it is good to have a car park but the university should make sure that modalities are put in place to avoid car theft. Circuit Camera Televisions (CCTVs) should be installed in the car park. Josephine Nwankwo, 300 level faculty of Management Science said “Car Tags should be provided so that each car owner will be given a tag. Before a car leaves the park, the owner will return the tag given to them at entrance.

“Nigeria’s situation is such that does not encourage large cluster of vehicles like that. The school management should be security conscious”, said Idiongesit Edem, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences. He said: “The management should equip the security officials with car scanners and bomb detectors. We should not claim ignorant of the current situation in the country”.

“The management should fix fire extinguishers at assessable corners in the car park so that fire incidents can be readily arrested”, said a female student who gave her name as Mary Jane. “There should be good alarming system and ready fire fighters. We don’t pray for these things to happen but we should be ready for them in case they do”, she concluded. Christian Anyanwu said “there should be a regulation that car owners should remove their cars before 6pm daily so that other activities can take place at the park.

Is there any plan of providing another recreation ground for the students?; The SUG President Comr. Ajang has this to say: “We have been holding series of meetings with the management. And right now, we have come to a conclusion that the management will build and develop 3 recreation sites for the students. The VC said we should go round and recommend 3 places within the school the recreation centre will be built. We have recommended the Black and White Pitch, close to the small gate. We have recommended an open field close to the staff quarters. We have also recommended an open field behind hall 6. These places have been lying fallow for some years so we want the management to develop them to standard pitches with requisite facilities for sports and recreation.

The SUG President advised the students to remain calm because Prof. James Epoke’s administration has good plans for them. “He never fails in his promise. He cannot disappoint us. The agreement is that our 3 pitches will be well constructed before the Car Park project is completed. I will make sure I hold the university to ransom; I will hold them on the scrotum till they finish the project. I thank the VC for understanding with us. I want to assure him that we are strongly in support of him”, he concluded.