Amidst the economic hardship going on in the country, the Great Ife Students’ Union and students’ indigenous associations such as NAOSS(OGUN), NAOSS(ONDO) and NAOSS(OSUN) have distributed exam welfare packages to students of the University. This initiative is to support students amidst the inflation ravaging the country and also to ensure that students have access to basic needs during this examination period.
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On February 15th, the exam relief package program was powered by the Students’ Union through the office of the Welfare Director, Folakan Paul. Welfare packages were distributed to students to assist students with some provisions during the exam period.
Additionally, the Great Ife Students’ Union through the office of the President also provided free transportation services to and fro Road 1, from the Golden Jubilee Gardens car park at campus gate in the morning and Students’ Union Building car park in the evening.
The National Association of Ondo State Students also distributed the Exam Welfare Package on February 18th to students to students from Ondo State. In a conversation with the President, Akinmuwagun Gideon, via WhatsApp, he stated that the association had more than 6000 members. He said, ‘The exam Welfare package was able to reach all the 79 Naossites present’.
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While answering the question of why the turnout was low, he made it known that this is the first program of its kind in the history of the association. He stated that many of those who did not come for it wished they had come around. ‘I am very optimistic that subsequent ones will be massive’, he said.
As regards the funding for the program, ‘it was solely sponsored by the executives and backed up by just a small fund from the association’s account’, the President added.
The National Association of Ogun State Students held its own Welfare Package program on Sunday, February 18th. Speaking to the President, Adeleye Mariam, via WhatsApp conversation, she stated that there are approximately 150 financial members in the association, and about 100 of them were able to receive the Welfare Package.
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The funding for the program came from ‘dues and sponsors, which also include the executives’, the President stated. She further clarified that although there is a chance that people turned out because of the current economic situation, ‘Naossites turn out for their welfare package on a normal day’.
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The National Association of Osun State Students, OAU Chapter, distributed its exam welfare package to students from Osun State on Tuesday, 20th of February. The program is the third of its kind organized by the association since the last session.
Before the process began, the association’s President, Adedapo Taiwo Emmanuel, explained that apart from the Welfare Packages, there were programs that the association had held this semester, but unfortunately, not many people attended. He mentioned that they anticipated a low turnout for the welfare package distribution due to the low turnout of students in the previous programs.
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The process commenced a few minutes before 4:00 p.m. Some individuals received tickets, while others, who made up the majority, were asked to write down their names. The distribution began by calling out the first 10 ticket holders, followed by continuing the process in the same manner. The Welfare Package includes spaghetti, Maggi seasoning cubes, tomato paste, vegetable oil, and garri.
In an interview with the association’s President, he mentioned that NAOSS has over 13,000 students and does not collect dues. He noted, ‘During the Freshers’ week event we organized, only 100 individuals participated’. He also mentioned that provisions were made for that specific program.
Therefore, the association did not expect a large turnout for the welfare package distribution. The President however speculated that the high attendance might be due to ‘hunger in the land’.
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He further stated that approximately 250 students received the welfare packages. Some individuals have pledged to sponsor future welfare package distributions. According to him, in case a 4.0 Welfare Package distribution requirement is not met this semester, although it is likely, that the distribution will occur early next semester.
The President explained that the funding for the program came from the excos and some individuals’ sponsorship.