By Monday OISE
BENIN CITY-The Ag Vice Chancellor ,Ambrose Alli University,Ekpoma ,Prof Asomwan Sonnie Adagbonyin has on behalf senate of the university said there is no increment in the tuition fees of returning students ,this is contrary to the news making the rounds that the institution has increased tuition fees for returning students to about 100percent.
Prof Adagbonyin made the clarification at a press conference he addressed at the Nigeria Union of Journalist secretariat Benin City.
He said the press conference has become very important for the management of the institution to come out to explain certain things and issues concerning AAU ,Ekpoma which has been in the news in recent times ,the issues of school fees and protest in the institution.
On the on-going students protest ,the vice chancellor said the erstwhile student union leaders currently leading protests against alleged hike in school fees ,were part of the team that negotiated the “add-on” fees they are now protesting against adding that the then leadership threatened to shut the gate because of some perceived issues,that of the school fees was not even high up on the list of the issues,the only aspect of the agitation that is related to school fees was the inclusion of returning (old) students in the Edo Health Insurance Scheme
Continuing he said they claimed that they have reach an agreement with the management of EDOHIS to include all students from 300L and above from the scheme. The students were informed that the agreement they spoke about would be implemented only if it was true and was officially communicated to the university management, he noted that the communication has not reached the management.
The vice chancellor however said as a matter of rights,that there is nothing wrong with peaceful protests when all options have failed noting that in this case the dialogue option had not failed and that the only problem was when the protesters now started using their right to protest to infringe on the rights of other persons ,no right thinking management would fold its arms and watch students take protests to the level of anarchy and lawlessness
Prof Adagbonyin added that the Senate of the university,prior to the current protest had directed that on under no circumstances should the university gates be shut in the name of protests ,but the the protesters still dared the Senate and went ahead to lock up the University gates for days .He pointed out that AAU ,like every organised university,has regulations guiding the activities of students ,any breach of the matriculation oaths has its prescribed sanctions and consequences as the management could not have looked away and allowed these acts of lawlessness to continue.
He said as a result of the students infraction ,the first step taken was the immediate dissolution of the student union and subsequent setting up of a caretaker committee to continue the dialogue with management on behalf of the law abiding students
Prof Adagbonyin then assures all law abiding students of the university that whatever concerns they have will be adequately addressed and admonishes all students to always seek clarification and be well informed rather than engaging in acts that are detrimental to their wellbeing as students saying a lot of misinformation is in the air and all must keep emotions aside and seek clarification whenever in doubt.