By ISAAC MUKANDO –

THE Mukuba University Students Union (MUSU) has called on Government to speed up the process for construction of hostels at the institution to provide accommodation for the growing students’ populace.??

Currently, the university had a student population of close to 1, 000 excluding the number for first-year students.??

Out of the 1000 population, only 300 students were accommodated because of shortage of hostels.??

MUSU president Tebulu Mumba said the institution was recording an increase in the number of student intake following its upgrading into a university.??

He said as such, there was need for Government to accelerate the process for construction of students’ hostel to ensure increased bed-space.??

Mr Mumba said it was important for Government to put in place all the necessary logistics and ensure that the construction of hostels was completed in time.??

‘‘ Our appeal as Mukuba University union and students is that the construction of hostels is accelerated so that the accommodation process can be solved,” he said.??

Currently, the school has about 168 bed spaces for the males and 136 bed spaces for the females and which is not enough that is why the union wanted Government to complete the construction of hostels.??

He said students at the university came from various parts of the country and that it was difficult for some of them to find accommodation at the institution or any place near the university.??

Mr Mumba said it was difficult for students coming from outside the university to concentrate because walking long distances from their respective homes leave them fatigue.