CNG reject fee hike, plans protest

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

The Students Wing of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG-SW) in the next few weeks stage “a mother of all protest” that will lead to the shutdown of all campuses and occupied northern states’ capitals over the hike of tuition fees by some Nigerian universities.

This is as the Group appealed to all northern stakeholders to speak up to reject and discourage the passage of the education Loan Bill as the life span, and sustainability of the loan is not guaranteed.

Those in this category according to the Group, are, the University of Maiduguri in the northeast, the Federal University Dutse in the Northwest, and the Federal University Lafia in the Northcentral.

Addressing the press, Comrade Emuseh Gimba Bokunga, the group National Coordinator,observed that the hike by the Universities follows the ratification by the Federal Government of a regime of harsh economic policies that have caused mass sufferings to Nigerians.

She said, “We also warn Vice Chancellors of Universities in the region to avoid the eventual Hazards and unforeseen circumstances by ensuring that no student drops out from Universities as a result of these increases.

“We appeal to the northern elite, especially the business community to please support public University education in their domains.

“Finally, we place the Federal Government on notice that if after this decent plea and persuasion, it fails to see reason, we shall take concrete actions which will not preclude mobilizing for massive and sustained regionwide protests.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we emphatically place on record that any such protests would be total, and shall involve the indefinite shutdown of all campuses, and occupation of major highways and state capitals across the North,” the students said.

“We find it regrettable that as a result of these poorly designed policies, hunger is stalking millions of homes, inflation is making life difficult by the day, people are losing jobs, businesses are closing down infrastructure is decaying, young Nigerians are losing hope of being employed, hospitals are full of people who suffer various illnesses, and cannot afford the fees.

She, however, explained that the northern region is currently being held ransom by bandits that operate with ease and at will in all the seven states of the North-West taking total control of land borders, highways, forests, and in some cases railways and airports.

“Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents continue to wreak havoc in the Northeast while farmers/herdsmen clashes escalate in the North- Central.

“We are convinced therefore that this hike and other potentially damaging policies are part of a calculated design to continuously weaken the North educationally and pauperize it economically.

“It follows that the North would feel the pain of the hike in tuition more than other parts of the country because of the current challenges and limitations faced by the region around security and unforgettable poverty.