NANS intervenes in Ebonyi varsity, students dispute over tuition fee increment

[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]

National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) said it has intervened in the feud between the management of Ebonyi State University (EBSU) and her students over a new fee introduced by the institution.

Coordinator, NANS Coordinator, Zone ‘B’ South-East/South-South, Comrade Alfred Olisa Nwuruku, who disclosed at the weekend shortly after he inaugurated Ebonyi State Joint Campus Committee (NANS JCC), said NANS had initiated dialogue with the management of the university and the students’ leadership with a view to ensuring that the matter did not degenerate.

Nwuruku disclosed that NANS had met with EBSU management comprising the Vice chancellor and all the top management officials, adding that another meeting had been scheduled for February for the continuation of the dialogue.

He however, urged them to scrap the newly introduced fees including developmental levies and accreditation fees in view of the bad the economic predicament.

Nwuruku while briefing Journalists at CAS campus of EBSU, appealed to the University management to consider the requests of students by paying full attention to their welfare.

It was gathered that the management of EBSU had announced an increment in the school fees and introduction of “developmental fee” to be paid by 2021/2022 fresh students.

A memo titled “Newly approved developmental and accreditation fee” which was signed by the university’s Registrar,Mrs Bibian Nwokwu, and made public on January 5,2022, said the decision to increase the fees/levy payable by the students was taken during an emergency meeting of the top management  committee of the university held on 10th December 2021.

According to the memo, all students are to pay accreditation fee while new students pay developmental fee and accreditation fee.

The developmental fee, as contained in the memo, ranges from the sum of fifty thousand naira to the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand naira depending on the course and the faculty.

Nwuruku while speaking with Journalists called for calm amongst the students, and urged them to desist from any form of protests for now, while negotiations last.

The NANS boss said he was optimistic that the ongoing negotiation and dialogue with the EBSU management would be fruitful.

He disclosed that students’ leadership would meet on 1st February, 2022, to forge a common front in resolving the issue.

“I applauded the management of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, for always hearkening to the cries of the students. I initiated negotiations with the management on the need to have a second thought on the newly introduced ‘Developmental levy’ for 100 level students, and accreditation fees for continuous students, considering the economic situation in the country.

“Based on this, we pleaded the levies be scraped or possible adjustment done immediately.

“While we lend our voices with the SUG leadership to chat a way forward, we’ve resolved to be following up the resolutions of the Congress and to follow-up accordingly to make sure Nigerian students get relieved from this sudden hike in their tuition fees through introduction of new fees in the university amidst the economic situation in the country,” Nwuruku said.

He strongly warn against any form of protests for now, saying that NANS will not support it as he noted that the last option would be peaceful protest when other alternative approaches must have been fully exploited.