Campus

OSPOLY Students, Residents Struggle For Survival As Water Scarcity Hits Osun Community

ByAnuoluwapo Lebi

PublishedFebruary 16, 2025

Life has become unbearable for residents of Iree, particularly students of Osun State Polytechnic (OSPOLY), as the town grapples with an acute water shortage.

The worsening scarcity has thrown the host community into distress, disrupting daily activities and exposing residents to severe hardships.

For weeks, students and locals have been lamenting the difficulty in accessing potable water.

The crisis has severely affected essential activities such as cooking, bathing, laundry, and sanitation, raising concerns over potential health risks.

Speaking with Osun Defender, Adekunle Samsudeen, a student residing in the Oke Glo area, expressed frustration over the dire situation. “Water scarcity is everywhere in Iree. Even waking up by 5:00 AM does not guarantee getting water to bathe because people would have already crowded the few available water sources. The boreholes in my area are mostly non-functional, and the few working ones require electricity to pump water, but the power supply in Iree is unreliable,” he lamented.

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Another student, Ajilore Esther, who lives in Labule, narrated her ordeal. “The well in our area is uncovered, making the water unsafe for cooking or drinking. The limited water facilities available often lead to fights among desperate students struggling to get water. Some students even arrive late to class due to the long hours spent searching for water,” she revealed.

Similarly, Akintola Samuel, a resident of Eyinade, Along Ikirun Road, decried the impact of the scarcity. “It has been three days since we last had water in my hostel, and we are about 20 students living in the building. The real issue behind this crisis is the erratic power supply. We cannot afford to buy fuel regularly to power generators and pump water, especially with the rising cost of petrol. This week, I had to walk several miles just to fetch water and even had to bathe there before heading to school,” he recounted.

OSUN DEFENDER that the situation has escalated to the point where students and other residents are forced to go to extreme lengths to find water, with many resorting to unhygienic sources that pose health hazards.

Community leaders, government agencies, and the management of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, have been called upon to intervene urgently.

Residents believe that the provision of additional boreholes, improved electricity supply, and other sustainable solutions will go a long way in alleviating their plight.

Anuoluwapo Lebi

Anuoluwapo Lebi is an ethical and aplomb journalist, zealous for good and ethical journalism practices. His love for investigative journalism is divine and has carved his interest in other topics, including crime, politics, campus, culture, science, community development, and creative writing.