By James Ogunnaike

THE National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, in Ogun State, and National Association of Ogun State Students, NAOSS, yesterday, gave the state government a four-day ultimatum to reverse all increments in fees of all state-owned higher institutions.

The students’ body, who gave the ultimatum while addressing newsmen in Abeokuta, noted that the hike in school fees was targeted at making life unbearable for them and the entire people of the state.

Addressing journalists, the NANS Chairman in the state, Francis Adeyanju kicked against what he described as an “abnormal” increment in the school fees of all the state-owned tertiary institutions.

Adeyanju said: “It is no rumour that the state government has almost abandoned tertiary education this is evident in the current deplorable state of our campuses across the state. Our schools are now filled with decaying infrastructure, inadequate teaching and non-teaching staff, an unconducive learning environment and salaries of staff are being owed.

“Most pathetic is the recent hike in school fees across our tertiary institutions. This is unfair and unacceptable.

“There is no excuse for any government to increase school fees abnormally for whatsoever reason, in as much as we are concerned as progressive-minded Nigerian students’ leaders, we believe the government is at liberty to diversify and seek funds, but tertiary institutions should not be seen as an avenue to source for funds.

“Tertiary institutions should not be seen as an avenue to generate IGR, rather they should be seen as an avenue to prepare the youths for the future, for us to take our leadership positions.

“We, hereby, give the Ogun State government a four-day ultimatum to reverse all increments in State-owned institutions.

“If nothing is done at the expiration of the ultimatum, we will mobilise our students across the State and shutdown the State in a mass protest until our demands are met.”