Students of Abia State University, Uturu, have appealed to Gov. Theodore Orji to intervene in the new fees regime introduced by the institution.

A cross section of the students told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the new fees were capable of forcing many out of school.

According the school’s charge list recently released by the office of the bursar, Mr. Ndukwe Dibia, new students are now to pay N280,000 comprising N70,000 for tuition fees, N50,000 acceptance fees, N30,000 for accreditation and N50,000 as development fees.

Old students, who were paying N47,000, are now to pay N100,000 per session.

Godson Caleb, a student of the optometry department, told NAN in Uturu on Wednesday that he would not be able to pay the new fees.

“If nothing is done, I might be forced to drop out of school. How can I meet up with the demand to pay the new fees of over N100,000?

“ I have been managing to keep up with the old fee of N47,000. Now, what do I do, I plead with the governor to listen to our pleas to reduce the fees,” he said.

Miss Beauty Onyema, another student, appealed to the governor to prevail on the school’s governing council to reduce the fees.

She said that a lot of students sponsoring themselves to school would find it difficult to cope with the new fees.

“We know that the governor has a listening ear. He intervened for the students of Abia State Polytechnic, we want him to do the same for us,’’ she said.

When contacted, Mr Acho Elendu, the Head of Public Relations Unit of the institution, said the fee hike was agreed upon by all stakeholders, including the Students Union Government.

NAN learnt that the students had visited the governor on the matter, recalling that a similar increase happened in 2009.

The leadership of the students’ union could not be reached for comments, but a member who pleaded anonymity said “a lot of discussions are on-going to settle the issue. “I believe the governor as a listening person will heed the cry of the students.” (NAN)