The Acting Vice Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra, Prof. Kate Omenugha, has revealed that 12 students from the institution lost their lives in road accidents over the past 10 months.
Speaking during the third Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Memorial Lecture series held at the university’s ETF Auditorium on Friday, Omenugha attributed the incidents to the lack of residential hostels and school buses.
She explained that students are forced to travel through neighbouring communities using tricycles and motorcycles, exposing them to higher risks of accidents.
She expressed her concern, saying, “I feel terrified as a mother about this incident. Since I assumed office 10 months ago, about 12 students have lost their lives through tricycle and motorcycle accidents along inter-community roads linking to the university.”
The Vice Chancellor highlighted the urgent need for intervention, appealing to the public and affluent individuals in Anambra State for support in the university’s development.
She emphasised the importance of providing residential hostels to reduce such avoidable tragedies and called for partnerships in developing staff quarters and other infrastructure.
“We appealed for assistance from the public, particularly well-to-do individuals in Anambra State to support the university’s development,” she said.
“We need hostels to cut the rising spate of avoidable accidents. We need staff quarters for staff. There are many areas for partnership.”
Omenugha acknowledged the efforts of the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, through the Private Public Community Partnership initiative but stressed that the state government alone cannot resolve these challenges.
At the event, the guest lecturer, former Minister of Aviation Chief Osita Chidoka, delivered an address titled, Harnessing Education for National Development: Lessons from the Life and Vision of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
The university’s challenges with road safety are not new. In November 2020, the institution’s management considered banning students from using motorcycles after three female students from the Igbariam campus died in separate motorcycle accidents over a single weekend.
