The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has raised concern over the recent hike in fees by varsities across the country, adding that it may force many students out of school.

Many public universities have in recent months increased their tuition fees owing to what they described as the country’s economic realities.

While some of them have made a downward review after protests by students, the National President of ASUU Professor Emmanuel Osodeke is afraid parents/guardians would find it difficult to pay the new fees.

“Today, universities are arbitrarily increasing tuition fees,” he said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.

“Is that correct in an environment today where the minimum wage is N30,000 per month and where they have to pay rent and pay heavily for transportation? And you are enforcing this thing on the students?

“As a result of this – I can assure you that you can check if nothing is done about this heavy fee being introduced all over the country today – in the next two or three years, more than 40 to 50 per cent of these students who are in school would drop out. ”

According to him, if such happens, these students would become willing tools in the hands of those who want to make the “country ungovernable”.

“That is what we are saying: create the environment we had in the ’60s and ’70s,” the ASUU chief said.

“When I was a student, the government was paying me for being a student. Let’s have an environment where the children of the poor can have access to education, not closing them. If you say school fees of N300,000, how can the children of somebody who earns N50,000 a month be able to pay such fee?”

To remedy the situation, Professor Osodeke asked the Federal Government to increase its educational budget “to at least 15 per cent from last year’s 3.8 per cent”.

The Lagos State Government has asked owners of shanties along the Blue Rail line to leave.

This directive came from the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs Kunle Adeshina said,

“Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab in furtherance of the directives of Mr Governor on Sunday supervised the removal of shanties on the setbacks and rights of way of Lagos Blue Rail line corridor from Orile to Iyana Iba urging those all those concerned to either move behind the road setback or relocate outright,” Adesina said in a Sunday statement.

He quoted the commissioner as saying this in Orile during an inspection of some of the infractions in the corridor.

“The Commissioner said the enforcement becomes imperative following the expiration of the one-month notice given by Mr Governor to all street traders, squatters, and occupiers of shanties and abandoned vehicles presently on the stretch of Lagos – Badagry Expressway from Orile up to Iyana-Iba,” the statement added.

THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab in furtherance of the directives of Mr Governor on Sunday supervised the removal of shanties on the setbacks and rights of way of the Lagos Blue Rail line corridor from Orile to Iyana Iba urging all those concerned to either move behind the road setback or relocate outright.

The Commissioner who spoke alongside the chairman of the Special Intervention Team for the restoration of the Blue line Right of Way, ACP Bayo Sulaiman at Orile during an inspection of some of the infractions on the corridor said there is a need to ensure a complete restoration of the right of way.

He added that in addition to the Blue Line rail right of way which has been infringed, the Lagos Badagry Expressway is an international highway whose setback must be observed.

The Commissioner said the enforcement becomes imperative following the expiration of the one-month notice given by Mr Governor to all street traders, squatters, and occupiers of shanties and abandoned vehicles presently on the stretch of Lagos – Badagry Expressway from Orile up to Iyana-Iba.

Accompanied by Permanent Secretary Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Gaji Omobolaji, and his counterpart in the Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Lekan Shodeinde and GM LASPARK, Toun Popoola, the Commissioner said he is moving around to ensure that the right-of-way is secured and illegal trading sites and settlements along the corridor are pulled down.

He particularly mentioned the illegal settlement at Agboju where squatters have built up shanties and have occupied government setbacks, saying Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) would move in after the squatters have been removed to commence work on the beautification and landscaping of the whole stretch.

He explained that the right of way for the Lagos Badagry Expressway stands between 90 to 120 meters, therefore any structure that falls between will not be allowed to stand.

He advised some recalcitrant occupiers of sheds and settlements under the bridge before Abule Oshun who are still staying put to move before the enforcement team moves in.

He urged all commercial vehicle operators on that corridor to maintain their designated Parks, saying henceforth any vehicle seen picking up or dropping passengers at undesignated bus stops along the road would be towed away and the owners prosecuted.

He emphasized that the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu intends to restore the greenery and beautify the Lagos-Badagry Expressway corridor as well as other parts of the state including Agege, Lagos Island, Ikeja, and other areas where illegal traders have encroached on the right-of-way.

In his words: “The Special Intervention Team, is cleaning up the Lagos Badagry to rid of all environmental nuisances and black spots. The exercise would be sustained to ensure that ejected squatters do not return to rebuild these shanties”.

He restated his warning to street traders in different parts of the state that no area encroached upon would be left out of the clean up urging traders at Afolabi Ege Market, Iyana Iba to relocate within 7 days as they are the causes of the man-made traffic bottlenecks along the axis.

Wahab warned residents against creating illegal dumpsites with particular reference to one noticed at the Eric Moore end of Surulere, saying that the government is determined to find a lasting solution to illegal dumpsites and gave a directive of evacuation of the black spot within 24 hours to the State Waste Management Authority.

The General Manager of Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency LASPARK, Mrs. Adetoun Popoola, and other directors from the ministry were also part of the inspection exercise.

Signed
Kunle Adeshina
Director Public Affairs
MOE &WR

President Bola Tinubu has ordered security agencies to rescue the female students abducted in Zamfara.

Bandits had last week attacked the Sabon-Gida community, Bungudu Local Government Area, kidnapping over 24 students of the Federal University of Gusau, Zamfara.

While six of them were later rescued, President Tinubu has ordered security operatives to ensure those still in captivity are freed.

“President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to rescue the remaining female students of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, who were recently abducted by terrorists,” presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said in a Sunday statement.

“Condemning the reprehensible act of abduction, the President says there is no moral justification for such heinous crimes against innocent victims whose only ‘offense’ was their pursuit of quality education.”

The presidential aide quoted Tinubu as condoling with the families of those affected, reiterated his government’s resolve to “protect every Nigerian citizen, and in line with this commitment, assures the families of the abducted students that no effort will be spared in ensuring their safe return”.

Tinubu has also vowed to “ensure that educational institutions remain sanctuaries of knowledge, growth, and opportunity, and totally free from the menacing acts of terrorists,” the statement added.

‘Cowardly Attacks’

The Zamfara Government had in the wake of the incident described the abduction as cowardly.

Governor Dauda Lawal while commiserating the families of those affected equally directed security agencies to go after the assailants with a view to rescuing the abductees.

“I’m deeply saddened by the recent cowardly attacks by armed bandits at Sabon Gida village where some residents and School girls were kidnapped,” he wrote on his X account Sunday.

“We immediately mobilized security agents who succeeded in rescuing some of the victims and are still in hot pursuit of the criminals through land and air.”

“I’ve been in constant engagement with our security heads in the State and other stakeholders to ensure the safe return of all other victims and quickly neutralize the situation In Shaa Allah.”

Last week’s attack is the latest in a growing trend of student abductions, particularly in Nigeria’s North-West region. Scores of learners have in the past few years been kidnapped by bandits who target schools. But many of them were later rescued.