In its desperate bid to survive the realities of climate change and petrol subsidy removal, the engineering team in the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) of Kwara State University (KWASU) has converted Sedan, Hilux and 22-seater Coaster buses to electricity-powered vehicles.

The Vice Chancellor of KWASU, Prof Shaykh-Luqman Jimoh disclosed this yesterday at a briefing to herald the combined 10th and 11th convocation for 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 sets at the institution’s main campus Malete, Moro Local Council.

He stated that investors had started showing interest in the product.
The school authority said it targets mass production for commercialisation by next year.

Jimoh said the achievement was among the many ways to reduce the effect of the subsidy removal on the school community.
According to him, the engineering team was able to convert a Nissan bus from PMS to electric, but hopes to produce additional three (Toyota Hilux, Coaster and a Sedan three-seater) next year to be deployed to KWASU transport and clinic departments.

“With this success, the institution has been placed in the lead of rethinking her environmental culture and developing new paradigms for solving problems and ensuring global environmental sustainability.
“We consider it a major achievement, not just for our Green Initiative, but for our determination to add value to the economy of the state and her populace,” the VC said.

Soliciting the state government’s assistance, he urged individuals, who have scrap vehicles, to bring them for conversion at moderate charges.

Meanwhile, he noted that of the 16,316 students who were billed for graduation at the convocation, 183 bagged First Class; 5,145 Second Class Upper, 8,420 Second Class Lower and 1,455 Third Class divisions in both sets.

He added that 11,096 graduates were in first degrees and 767 in higher degrees for the 2021/2022 academic session, while 4,107 first degrees and 345 higher degrees are for the 2022/2023 session.