NUC, NANS, Parents Comment on UNIPORT Protest
By Correspondent
There were mixed reactions as stakeholders gathered on Tuesday in Abuja to express their opinion as regards the crisis that erupted at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) over the ‘no tuition fee, no examination’ policy of the university.
It would be recalled that the students of UNIPORT on Monday staged a violent protest against the policy.
The protest became violent and this led to the shutting down of the institution following the destruction of property worth millions of naira and one student reported dead.
While reacting to the incident, Malam Ibrahim Yakasai, the Director of Information, National Universities Commission (NUC), said media reports that the protest was against tuition fees were wrong, adding that a formal report from the UNIPORT’s vice-chancellor would ascertain such report.
He reiterated, ‘First, let me correct an impression as was being reported that students protested because of tuition fees; federal universities are tuition-free; so it was not tuition fees.
‘However, universities are allowed to charge some municipal fees and other charges that are not too much.
‘We heard about the crisis and we are waiting for the vice-chancellor to give us a report upon which we act or comment.
‘I am sure that the vice-chancellor is working on the report to explain to us what happened; after that, we will act as appropriate.’
The NUC director further stressed that all arms of Nigerian universities were allowed to come to the commission and complain, adding that no student or student leader from UNIPORT wrote to NUC to complain about anything.
‘When we get any report that any university has exceeded what is allowed, we call such school to order and make them reverse their decision.
‘For now, we have not been formally briefed on what led to that demonstration.
‘I am sure the VC will be detailed enough and we will confirm from students and invite all parties and settle the matter,’ Yakasai added.
On the other hand, Mr Ezekiel Nwankwo, the Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), blamed the violence on communication gap between the students and UNIPORT authorities.
Nwankwo revealed that frequent postponement of examination date and the eventual fixing of April 7 deadline for payment caused a rush that was misinterpreted by some students.
He explained, ‘There is a serious lack of communication between the students and the school authorities.
‘We console the family of the slain student and call on the Inspector General of Police and the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to set up a committee to investigate what led to the death of the student.
‘Where has rubber bullet gone in handling protests? Why use life bullets on protesting students?’ he asked.
However, Nwankwo said that NANS would make its final stance known after consultations.
Most of the parents at the gathering condemned the actions of the security agents and appealed to the students to always resort to dialogue.
A journalist, Mr Olisanyem Ifeajika said that students must learn to adopt dialogue with relevant authorities as a means of resolving issues that affect them.
‘There is no record that there was any dialogue between the students and the school authorities.
‘Students at all times should learn to adopt dialogue on any issue and exhaust it before taking actions like protests. Protests should be the last resort.
Ifeajika said he believed that some students who had not adequately prepared for the examinations used the protest as a window to cause problems. The increase of the school fees to N45, 000 had taken effect since last year, so the students had ample time to protest before their examinations.
He also cautioned the security agents with regards to discharging that duties, their carelessness led to the death of a student.
‘I feel bad as a parent that a life was lost; that death was avoidable. Our law enforcement agencies sometimes take extreme measures when dealing with an unarmed crowd; it is condemnable.
‘In civilised societies things like rubber bullets or water would have been used to disperse such a crowd,’ he added.
Another parent, Mr. Adefemi Oladapo said the students would have engaged the authorities in a dialogue before protesting. He also wondered why they did not protest at the beginning of the session.
He also stated that the school authorities should have consulted the students union before increasing the fees in order to arrive at an agreement that would have been beneficial to both parties.
Oladapo reiterated, ‘The students would have dialogued with relevant stakeholders ”” the Ministry of Education, the National Assembly Committee on Education to intervene in reviewing their school fees downwards before their exams.
‘Sometimes, when some students are not prepared for examination, they look for one thing or the other to try to avoid writing their exams.’
‘The Police are not even supposed to enter the school with live ammunition. It was a mere protest and they should have gone with rubber bullets, tear gas or water to disperse the students.
‘The Nigerian police is usually quick to use live ammunition on protesting crowd; the government must address this and ensure it does not happen again.’
Rivers Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad has denied that there were casualties during the students’ protest.
Discover more from NewsBreakers
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
What's your reaction?
Excited
0
Happy
0
In Love
0
Not Sure
0
Silly
0
