HIKE IN TUITION FEES BY DELTA STATE OWNED UNIVERSITIES: NANS Reacts, Say It's Reckless, Insensitive

"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."

"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."

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS Zone B (South-East and South-South today reacted over the hike by Delta State owned Universities.

This was contained in a statement signed by NANS Zone B Deputy Coordinator, H.E Gen. DIO, Oghale Emeka Rex and made available to Our Correspondent.

NANS copied the Governor of Delta State, Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Commissioner for Higher Education, the Vice Chancellors of Delta State University, Abraka and Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, the Director, DSS Delta Command, Commissioner, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Ari Muhammed Ali, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Delta State Council, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu as well as NANS Revolutionary President

The student body described the hike in tuition fees across institutions in the State as "reckless and insensitive."

NANS also said the increment by the Management of the Universities which comprises of Delta State University, Abraka and Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro is to say the least reprehensible, callous, insensitive and repugnant to natural justice.

NANS therefore made the following demands, "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 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.

NANS said the statement became necessary can 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."

It would be recalled that the Universities recently increased tuition fees from N35,000 to N150,000 respectively. The increase made parents, guardians and students who are battling with the harsh economic situation of the Country and poor salary to complain.