The students of the Adekunle Ajasin University, in Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State on Tuesday continued to protest over an increase in their school fees.
The protest began on Monday, April 9 when the aggrieved students trooped to the streets of Akure, the state capital in protest.
Roads were blocked by the students as motorists were forced to pass through other routes to their destinations.
The Governing Council of the University had earlier announced the hike in the fees payable by the students from about N35,000 to as high as between N120,000 and N200,000 per session.
In his reaction, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the university, Tunji Abayomi blamed the increase on the poor financial status of the university. He saying the university had not received subvention for seven months in 2016.
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“This is a University that received no penny for subvention in the past seven months. During that time all the money that the institution saved for research and innovation were used up,” Abayomi said.
The students on Tuesday, however, insisted that the university remains shut down and will not resume until the government reverse its decision.
Meanwhile, members of the Ondo State House of Assembly have dissociated themselves from the new tuition announced by the Governing Council of the state-owned institution.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Fatai Olotu told journalists that the announcement negates the earlier agreement the council reached with the House of Assembly.
Olotu noted that members of the House were not adequately carried along on the issue by the university’s governing council.
The lawmaker maintained that the new tuition announced have to be revisited in the interest of the people of the state.
He appealed to the students to be calm as the State Assembly is on top of the situation and will be meeting with the authorities to resolve the situation.
