The irate students, who had gathered at the entrance of the University as early as 7:30 am, locked the main gate and prevented workers and students from accessing the gate for several hours. According to them, the N13,000 Internet wireless connection fee, for two semesters was too much for them to bear considering the high tuition and fees charged by the university. Clutching placards of various inscriptions and chanting anti-management songs, they vowed that the protest would continue until the Internet wireless charge is reversed. Some of their placards read: ‘Enough is enough, we do not need a wireless Internet connection in the university; We don’t need your internet connections anymore; We are not ready to pay heavy charges anymore.’ One of the students, Miss Anjorin Kemisola, said: “I wish to say that I am not happy with the way the management of the Ekiti State University are charging us, our tuition fees have always been going up, department fees are exorbitant, presently they are charging us for wireless Internet connection that we do not use at all. I regret coming to this university.” Another aggrieved student, Ogundipe Gbenga said: “They decided to embark on the peaceful protest to inform the management of the institution that they can no longer pay for Internet connection that is not useful to them. “Most times, the Internet connection is not always available for us to use and we prefer to subscribe to Internet services from the telecommunication outfits such as MTN, GLO, Airtel, among others. “Most of us use phone with various communication data, so, we don’t use the school internet connection because it is not useful to us. “We, therefore, want to appeal to the management to remove the wireless internet connection from the school charges because it is not convenient for them and their parents.” One of the students’ representatives, Bayo Asaolu, accused the management of not being considerate and do not sympathise with their parents, who are yet to receive eight months salaries from the state government. He said: “We are out this morning to protest and not to fight or destroy the University property, because we are tired of the charges the university often asks us to pay every semester.” I’m not aware of any protest —Deputy Registrar When contacted, the Deputy Registrar, Information and Corporate Affairs of the university, Mr Ajibade Olubunmi, who feigned ignorance of the protest, told newsmen that he didn’t encounter any protest on his way to the campus. Olubunmi said: “I am not aware of any protest on this campus because when I was coming to work, I did not see anyone protesting individually or in group or groups protesting, but I will investigate and get back to you.”
0 Reader's Comment :
Post a Comment