By Patrick Obia
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has urged the Federal Government to waive out two academic session school fees for students.
Members of NANS and the Students Union Government Presidents Forum in Cross River State, James Ogbe, made the call while speaking as a guest on Hit 95.9 FM regular Sunday program, ‘The Dialogue With Agba Jalingo” where he said, that should be done as a palliative to the students as cushioned by the 8 months ASUU strike action.
“We had NANS Zone B meeting at Akwa Ibom on the 4th of November, so we came up with a memorandum that as a result of the effect of the strike, the Federal Government should wave two sessions school fees for all the students both the State and Federal universities. And also, we are planning in our forum to meet the Obong of Calabar, Commissioner for Environment and Housing, that all students who are staying off campus the should enjoy free one year house rent from all landlords because those facilities have not been used for a year now. I am calling on all the student body that we want to return to the streets and claim back our rights.”
James who is the SUG President of Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH), implored the Federal Government to meet the demands of ASUU. He however inferred that, had students been on campus during the #EndSARS protest, the height of it would have been massive adding that Nigerian students and youths have awaken to the consciousness of bad governance.
“The impact of ASUU strike has caused enough emotional trauma on students Community, if they were to be on Campus, the height of #EndSARS protest would have been more than what it was because the students are angry.
“The students have taken side with ASUU on this matter that the Federal Government should meet the demands of ASUU and reopening of universities for students because, if they go on rampage, this was a test run of what is coming; students are not smiling.”
He called on students to come together, end bad governance and claim what’s theirs..
“I want to encourage our students, whatever that will make this our country to be right, we are willing as a body to execute it to the later. The #EndSARS protest has been a good fertilizer that is growing that seed of good governance in the minds of the youths, if the elderly ones can not do it, the youths can do it better. We the present generation are willing to pay the sacrifice.” He affirmed.
The number one student in CRUTECH prayed the newly appointed Vice Chancellor of the varsity Prof. Augustine Angba to improve the insecurity bedeviling the institution as well as welfare of students.