By Mu’azu Abubakar Albarkawa, Kaduna
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) ABU chapter in coalition with the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the university has dissociated itself from the planned protest by the national body of the association over recent increase in students’ charges by the university Senate.
Addressing a press conference at the NANS secretariat in ABU Zaria, Wednesday, chairman of the ABU Zaria chapter, Comrade Zacchaeus John Maikudi said the chapter is opposed to the national body’s decision to storm the university and protest the hike.
“While we appreciate the concern expressed by our indefatigable President over the hike in the fees, we want to believe that the president and our fellow colleagues at the national body are totally ignorant of the huge burden of the university and the financial difficulty the institution is passing through in its day-to-day operations.
“We members of NANS ABU Chapter jointly with the Students Representative Council, SRC, saw reasons in the decision of the university Senate to effect such fees increment in the interest of general operations of the university,” he said.
The NANS chairman said the university management did not take such decision unilaterally, as all relevant key stakeholders were duly involved in the process that resulted in the modest hike in the charges.
He noted that the university finds it extremely difficult to foot its monthly electricity bills of more than N70 million when its yearly overhead cost is just a little over N100 million.
Comrade Maikudi pointed out that the increment varies, depending on the courses, levels, field trips and laboratory training, stressing that it is in the best interest of the students because the university would not want to compromise the quality of training for which it is known.
