NANS urges Okowa to suspend hike in school fees across state-owned varsities in 48 hours

National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone B, has urged Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to suspend the recent hike in school fees in state’s universities in 48 hours to avert an uprising among students.

Deputy Coordinator, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS Zone B), Southeast and Southsouth, Oghale Emeka Rex, made the plea on Thursday in a statement with copies made to the governor and other stakeholders.

He described the sudden hike in school fees across Delta State-owned universities viz: Delta State University, Abraka, and Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, as reckless and insensitive.

“This press release has become necessary after obtaining and critically analyzing the details of the fees to avoid outright anarchy, breakdown of law and order in the affected campuses and eruption of marathon protests in the state.

“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,” he posited.

The student’s body therefore made the following demands namely: “That the implementation of the proposed new fees of Delta state university of science and technology ozoro be 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 is 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.”

NANS urged Gov Okowa to rather seek to “ameliorate the suffering and burden of parents who are also supposed to be beneficiaries of your prosperity for all Deltans agenda.”