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From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and the students of the institution have reached an agreement on a new school fees structure for the 2020/2021 academic year.
The agreement was reached on Thursday night at the end of a crucial meeting between the two parties which was held at the university’s Senate Chamber.
Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Charles Esimone, disclosed the outcome of the meeting to newsmen. He said that the resolution was reached after an emergency Senate meeting, and a 2-day dialogue with the students’ representatives.
Esimone, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, said the institution reached an understanding with the students to suspend all forms of protest regarding the alleged fee hike in the university; warning that any further protest from the students might lead to shutting down of the institution.
The VC who made it clear that the university leadership has the interest of the students at heart urged the students to go about their normal business without fear of intimidation or harassment from any quarter. He said that his administration has provided a very conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning in the institution.
“You will continue with the 2019/2020 school fees, and the supposed 2020/2021 fee schedule is now suspended until further dialogue.
“We hope that this will further cement the peace and tranquility that our university is known for. The university remains peaceful, and the public should disregard all other information making rounds in the social media.
“Any other form of demonstration from anybody means that the person is not our student, and such individual will be disciplined appropriately. We call on the law enforcement agencies in the school to be on the alert to ensure that there is no breach of peace within the university”, Esimone said.
President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Chukwuemeka Anih, represented at the meeting by his Vice-President, Augusta Ukoha, appealed to the students to remain calm as the management had agreed to revert to the 2019/2020 fees structure. He noted that the final document wouod soon be released to the public.
“It is no longer news that we, the students have been on this negotiation table for the last few days and we are happy to tell our students that there have been a reduction in their fees. The decisions we took here are in the best interest of the students and the university management. We hope that when this document comes out, there will no longer be any protest as our decisions here were collective,” he stated.
Also speaking, the President, Council of Faculty Presidents, Stephen Ogoegbulem, expressed satisfaction with the level of commitment of the university management to resolve the matter, calling for an end to the protests.
“Initially when this semester started, year three students were to pay a fee of N55,200, including the association and union dues but now it has been reduced to under N30,000. That means we achieved over N16,000 deduction for them.
“For year two students, they paid about N100,000 when they came into the school last year and when this semester started, they were meant to pay about N55,200. However, we are happy to inform them that we have gotten a discount of well over N10,000,” Ogoegbulem said.
He revealed that the success was achieved because the university management showed commitment towards availing the students quality education, as well as the doggedness of the students associations’ representatives to secure a better bargain for the students.
In their separate speeches, Chinasa Edomobi and Wisdom Onuoha, chairmen, council of departmental presidents and council of class representatives of the university, commended the students for sustaining the struggle through peaceful protests. They, however, urged students of the school to retreat and concentrate on their studies and shun further protests as the matter had been laid to rest.
SUG President, Nnewi Campus of the university, Theophilus Okologbo, said that he was satisfied with the outcome of the parley as according to him, it yielded fruits. He, however, urged his fellow students to remain peaceful and face their studies squarely.
