By Cajetan Mmuta
Socio-economic activities were disrupted for several hours in Awka the Anambra state capital on Monday as thousands of Students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, protested against a hike in school fees by the management of the institution.

During the protest, the students marched around the school compound and major roads with placards.

They also blocked the Enugu-Onitsha expressway to register their displeasure over the fee hike.

The Acting Head, Information and Public Relations of the university, Chika Ene, had on Saturday, denied allegations making the rounds about the increase in school fees of returning students of the institution for the 2020/2021 academic session.

It urged students, staff, and the public to dismiss the report as fake, targeted at causing unrest and destabilizing the peace being enjoyed in the University.

But the students, during the protest, insisted that the increment was true, pointing out that the university Management’s connivance with the Student Union Government (SUG) over the purported increment.

According to one of the students, fresh students will now pay N102,000, 2nd year N55,200 and 3rd year N57,200
as tuition fees against N29,300 for Science students while Arts students paid N26,300 last year.

“Fees hike started last year, but because of the COVID 19 lockdown and SUG intervention, the proposed hike was not settled. But when the session resumed last year we had no choice but to pay the increased N55,000 for 2nd-year students because of the scheduled sessional examinations.

“The increase started last year, across the board where students who paid N29,300 now had to pay N57,200”,

“When they increased the fees to over N50, 000 last year, we were asked through the SUG executive to bear with the school, promising they will revert to the initial fee of about N26,000.

“But to our greatest surprise, instead of asking us to pay the old fees as promised, we saw additional amount to what we paid last year”, the student who spoke in anonymity said.

Chairman, Anambra State Axis, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Peter Onyenweife who addressed the students, assured them that his executive would never be a party to any form of increment.

He appealed to the students to ensure the protest was peaceful and within the confines of the campus environment.

He said, “Any student protesting outside the gate is on your own. Anybody can release gunshots from anywhere, and once that’s done, we’re all gone, and the aim of the protests is defeated.

“I’m standing here as your representative. We can never be a party to any form of increment. That’s why we’re here to plead with you…our voices must be heard.

“If this same group of students was the same students that gave me support in 2019, I want to assure you that I won’t for any reason support anything that will hurt you.

“I want to put my integrity on the line, in all honesty, the VC is currently in Abuja. But the DVC, academics who’s the second in command will brief us on his behalf.”

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Prof. Fedrick Odibo, who spoke on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Charles Simone, told the students that the institution’s fees structure had been pulled down while discussing with the students union government was ongoing.

He said, “We’ve heard your agitations, and they’re okay. You have freedom of protest and that’s why we are handling you as our children.

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“The VC is not around, but I’m in touch with him. He suggested he addresses you via zoom, that’s the essence of technology.

“We’ve pulled down the fees structure of the university, and we’re discussing with the students union government.”

“On his part, the Dean, Students Affairs, Prof. Nonso Achebe called on the students to suspend the protests, assuring them of a town hall meeting with the VC on return.

“You’ve registered your displeasure, please let’s meet at the round table for negotiations. The DVC has addressed you and I’m lending my voice as the number one student.

“Let every fray nerves be calmed so we don’t spoil the good work we’ve started. Let’s broker an agreement. Tomorrow by 11 am,” he stated.