By Emeke Alexander
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) says it will not spare any option to ensure the reversal of the hike in school fees across Delta State-owned universities within the next 48 working hours.
NANS Zone B covering South-East and South-South in a statement on Thursday said its decision to resist the reckless and insensitive hike in school fees in state-owned universities is to “avoid outright, anarchy, breakdown of law and order in the affected campuses and eruption of marathon protests in the state”.
In the statement titled “HIKE IN SCHOOL FEES ACROSS DELTA STATE-OWNED UNIVERSITIES; EXTORTION TAKEN TOO FAR” and signed by the Deputy Coordinator, NANS Zone B, Comrade Oghale Emeka Rex, the apex students’ Union body in Nigeria said, “We, therefore, in swift response to the agitations of the affected students and prospective students compelled to resist the hike in the interest of the general public, the parents and the students.
“We dare state that this action by the respective managements is, to say the least reprehensible, callous, insensitive and repugnant to natural justice.
“We, therefore, demand the following; That the implementation of the proposed new fees of Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro is suspended forthwith and be reviewed downward to a total amount not higher than the sum of seventy thousand naira only (70,000).
“That the increment in the school fees of Delta State University, Abraka, be reversed to status quo with immediate effect.
“That any other state-owned institution in Delta state planning any hike in school fees should jettison that intention as any action not in the interest of the Nigerian students would be met with an unimaginable resistance and uprising.
“We, therefore, invite the attention of His Excellency Sen. Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, the Governor of Delta state to the humongous fees slammed on students and kindly intervene with his good office to ameliorate the suffering and burden of parents who are also supposed to be beneficiary of your prosperity for all Deltans agenda.
“His Excellency is respectfully informed that same or similar items were duplicated in the fees and different prices attached just to sure up the school fees. This is not justifiable and totally unacceptable.
“NANS as an organization with the sole aim of protecting the interests and welfare of the Nigerian students will spare no option in ensuring that this gargantuan extortion is resisted if not reversed within the next 48 working hours.”
