Ukorebi Esien | June 27, 2025
CALABAR —The University of Calabar (UNICAL) has come under scrutiny for insisting on holding examinations during the Cross River State Government's mandatory monthly environmental sanitation exercise, despite earlier criticism over the deplorable sanitary conditions on campus.
In a memo issued by the Director of Information, Students' Union Government, Comr. Ogbodum Alex Gift, the university community was informed that exams scheduled for Saturday, June 28, 2025, will proceed as planned. The memo emphasized that there will be no shift or postponement of any examination, urging students to arrive on campus before the sanitation exercise begins at 7:00 a.m. and remain until their exam time to avoid being affected by movement restrictions.
This directive directly contradicts the state's environmental sanitation policy, which mandates a full restriction of human and vehicular movement across Cross River State from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., as part of Governor Bassey Edet Otu's "People First" campaign for a clean and green environment.
The state's Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Moses Osogi, had earlier issued a public statement warning that defaulters of the sanitation exercise would be prosecuted. He encouraged citizens to use the sanitation period to clean their surroundings, emphasizing government's commitment to environmental health.
Ironically, it was just last month that Commissioner Osogi visited the University of Calabar during the May edition of the exercise and described the sanitary conditions of the hostels as "appalling." Both male and female hostels were flagged for poor hygiene, and the commissioner expressed deep concern about the university's failure to maintain a clean living environment for students.
"The hygiene situation on campus is unacceptable. The state government is ready to support the institution, but UNICAL must also show seriousness in addressing these concerns," Osogi had stated.
Despite these observations, the university has chosen to go ahead with its exam schedule, sparking reactions from stakeholders who fear that the school is setting a poor example by disregarding a critical state policy aimed at improving public health and hygiene.
As part of its Waste Management Initiative, the Ministry of Environment recently received waste bins from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to assist with evacuation efforts across the state. Commissioner Osogi noted a sharp increase in waste tonnage and urged institutions and residents in need of waste receptacles to apply for the bins, stressing they are for public benefit.
Saturday's sanitation exercise will be the latest test of public compliance with the environmental directive. Meanwhile, UNICAL's stance has reignited concerns over institutional accountability and the need for alignment between state policies and academic institutions.
Observers say that while the university's concern for academic scheduling is valid, it must not come at the cost of environmental safety especially after being flagged for unsanitary conditions.
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