Some members of the Niger State House of Assembly have joined aggrieved students of the state government’s university, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, who protested over recent hike in school fees.
The Assembly’s Minority Leader and Member Representing Agwara Constituency, Bello Agwara, explained that he decided to join the students in solidarity, being a post-graduate student of the institution.
Agwara enjoined the State Assembly to summon the school’s management, the Student Union Government, and the state government to a round table discussion, as part of measures to resolve the development amicably.
The Member Representing Agwara further stressed that the State Assembly is in a better position to intervene on the matter.
Ishaq Madaki and Abdul-Salam Abdul-Ganiyu who are leaders of the National Association of Niger State Students, NANISS, urged the Assembly to ensure that the fees are reduced so that they can be within the reach of the children of the common man.
Addressing the aggrieved students on behalf of the Speaker, Abdullahi Bawa, the Deputy Speaker, Ndagi Baba, called on the students to conduct themselves maturely.
Baba assured that as representatives of the people, the Assembly members will look at the issues critically, to address them with relevant stakeholders.
The state government had earlier reduced the fees, as it asked returning indigenes to pay 50, 000 Naira instead of over 67, 000 Naira.
New indigenous students are to pay over 95, 000 Naira instead of about130, 000 Naira proposed by the management of the institution.
For the returning non-indigenous students, they are to pay 100, 000 Naira, instead of 170, 000.
For the new non-indigenous students, they are to pay 170, 000 Naira, as against the proposed 201, 000 Naira by the management of the university.