By Ozioruva Aliu, BENIN CITY

THE management of the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma in Edo State said non state actors spreading misinformation about the school have been responsible for the instability in the institution even as he said the Senate of the school would soon meet to consider re-opening the school.

Recall that the university was shut down as a result of continuous protests by students over alleged increment in school fees which the management of the school has persistently denied.

Addressing a press conference in Benin City on Tuesday, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Asomwan Adagbonyin also said that the management of the school under his watch has restored check off dues to the staff’s associations including the cooperative society.

He said the school only increased the tuition fees of new entrants into the university but there was eventually an agreed sum after the meeting of the management with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the leadership of the school’s alumni association.

For the returning students, Adagboyin said it was only the add ons like association dues, course registration fees and others that were increased and that the amounts were agreed after negotiating with the students.

The Vice Chancellor urged those pushing for endless crisis in the university to have a rethink allow the school to run smoothly.

He said: “I make bold to tell you that a greater percentage of what is being canvased in the media, both conventional and social, is truth standing on its head.

“Dialogue was initiated and was still ongoing between the Management and the students’ representatives, and most of the issues raised by the students were already being addressed, when the students began the protest two days to the Edo State Local Government elections. Obviously, they had other ideas and had already decided to adopt confrontation as a strategy before pretending to be engaged in consultation.

“The political dimension protests have taken in Ambrose Alli University is worth noting. On every impulse there is a growing tendency for people to go to the University gate and lock it. Non-state actors stir trouble from without. Internal issues in the University are externalised beyond the University community and selfish individuals seek to profit from it.”