The Association for the Defence of the Rights of Students, known in its French acronym as ADDEC has called on government to take measures to urgently address their plights in terms of lodging.
They made their position known during a meeting on August 16 with the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education, Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo.
The meeting summoned by Prof. Fame Ndongo came after the students had threatened a nationwide strike action to denounce the lodging conditions at university residential areas.
Presenting the plight, the President of ADDEC, Jean Nicaise Owono, said students in state university face difficulties accessing decent lodging facilities which are becoming scarce while equally denouncing the unilateral increase of rents each year by landlords.
Also student resident areas are gradually being invaded by non students who can afford the exorbitant rents while some on campus hostels are being diverted for other purposes, Owono added.
This situation also compounded by the inertia of the brigade in charge of lodging, the students’ union leaders said.
After listening to the members of ADDEC, Prof. Fame Ndongo said their worries were justified and promised to take the necessary steps to see the problems are solved on time especially as the students are preparing to embark on a new school year.
The Minister of State promised an enlarged meeting will be summoned in the days ahead bringing together all the stakeholders involved in students’ lodging to find a common solution.
Despite the assurances, members of ADDEC insisted they will continue to take action and press until their worries are genuinely addressed.
JDC TV, Video news 
