The Centre for Sustainable Energy engineering team at Kwara State University (KWASU) has successfully converted a petrol-engine bus into an electric-powered one.
Speaking with journalists at the main campus of the institution in Malete, Moro local government area of the state, on Tuesday during the 10th and 11th combined convocation ceremonies for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic sessions, the acting vice chancellor of the university, Professor Shaykh-Luqman Jimoh, mentioned that this achievement followed the removal of the subsidy on petrol and the resulting increase in the price of PMS.
“With this success, the institution has taken the lead in rethinking its environmental culture and developing new paradigms for solving problems, 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 state’s economy and its populace.
“This initiative ensures higher efficiency in powering automobiles, helps our environment to be less polluted, and has attracted partnerships with the Kwara State Government and private institutions.”
Professor Jimoh, noting that three vehicles (Sedan, Hilux, and a 22-seater Coaster bus) had been converted to electric-powered vehicles, added that investors had started to show interest in the product.
He called on the state government and individuals with scrap vehicles to bring them for conversion at moderate charges.
The KWASU vice chancellor also mentioned that the institution has commissioned a plastic recycling plant at the Centre for Entrepreneurship, stating that with this initiative, “tons of plastic waste that would have polluted our environment are currently being converted into pavement stones.”
He reported that the institution produced a total of 16,316 graduates in its 10th and 11th combined convocation ceremony for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic sessions.
The vice chancellor provided details on the distribution of graduates, including 183 in First Class, 5,145 in Second Class Upper division, 8,420 in Second Class Lower division, and a total of 1,455 in Third Class division for both sets.
He also shared the numbers for first degrees and higher degrees, indicating 11,096 graduates in first degrees and 767 in higher degrees for the 2021/2022 academic session, as well as 4,107 in first degrees and 345 in higher degrees for the 2022/2023 academic session.
