BENIN - STUDENTS of the Edo State owned Ambrose Alli University, Ekopma, have given a two-week ultimatum to the state government to reverse the current tuition fees introduced by the authorities of University or face a legal action.
Besides, the Student Union Government of the institution has advised the students not to pay more than the fees for the current academic session until their complaints were looked into by the government and management of the school.
The students at a press conference in Benin, weekend, by the SUG President, Mr Itote Damisa, who was flanked by other officials of the union, also appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan, the Senate President, Senator David Mark and traditional rulers in the state to prevail on Governor Adams Oshiomhole to reverse the fees as their parents cannot afford such fees.
The AAU students explained that the sudden increase of their school fees from N18,000 to N62,000 unmindful of the excruciation pains and hardship the increment would inflict on their parents by the state government has resulted in some of the students abandoning their students due to the inability of their parents to cope.
They also said that many of the students have turned to criminal activities and other social vices within and around Ekpoma following their inability to pay the new fees.
"In the light of the foregoing, we wish to state here and now that the increment by Governor Oshiomhole is a deliberate attempt to deprive Nigerians, particularly Edo State indigenes of their educational rights, an action which clearly contradicts his promise during his electioneering campaigns in 2007, to make education free at all levels.
"We wish to remind Governor Oshiomhole that Ambrose Alli University is not a profit making organization and therefore the plan by the Edo state government to use fees collected from students to pay civil servants, University lecturers their salaries and enhance infrastructure in the University will be resisted by the students."
