By Cosmos Obi
Students of the Department of Visual Arts who just graduated from Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Cross River State University of Technology, CRUTECH and are awaiting the Nigeria Youth Service Scheme, NYSC mobilization, last Tuesday protested against the delay in mobilizing them after all the school requirements including fee clearance have been met.
The students in their fury disrupted academic activities and locked all the doors into the department including some lecturers who were forcefully locked in their offices.
The aggrieved students who refused speaking openly to CrossRiverWatch lamented that most of them haven’t seen their semester result, don’t know their fate with regards to NYSC whereas the case is not the same with colleagues in other department who already know their fate.
When CrossRiverWatch contacted the Students Union Government, SUG President of the institution, Comrade Idiege Steven Omang he disclosed that, “From last week they informed me about their grievances and I drew the attention of the Dean Students Affairs who immediately sprang into action, the problem is that their result has not been sent to the management/senate since it was asked for, the Dean and Head of Department have been working hard on this issue that even on Sunday they come to work but they have not been able to meet the management’s demand to submit it as soon as possible”.
According to him no one is to be blamed for the delay and the disruption of academic activities, maintaining that if anyone is to be blamed, it’s all the parties involved.
When CrossRiverWatch visited the office of the Faculty Dean, he wasn’t on sit but the faculty officer whose name was given as M. O Edet denied any knowledge of the event and maintained that the entire staff of the staff faculty have been up and doing in ensuring that their faculty’s students are mobilized.
The protesters were led by the emeritus President of the visual art students union, Comrade Iyala Joseph who refused to talk because of “fear of the unknown”.
On his part, the incumbent President of the visual art students union, Comrade Osim Wisdom also shared the same fears with his predecessor which led them to warning their colleagues not to talk to CrossRiverWatch.
Though the angry students placed a notice on the seal main entrance into the department saying “VAT Management have failed why?”, CrossRiverWatch learnt at the time of filing this report that the doors were all re-opened.
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