The lingering face-off between the Management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and a group of students led by the immediate past Student Union Leadership, SUG, over an alleged increase in tuition fee for returning students in the university has finally been resolved and laid to rest.
The resolution, according to the university’s head of corporate communications and protocol, Otunba Mike Ade Aladenika, was the outcome of a tripartite meeting between the Special Intervention Team (SIT), the management and student representatives where all issues of concern were tabled, discussed and agreed upon.
The meeting considered and agreed that the tuition fees of returning students was never increased while also considering the add-ons as important dues to be paid.
It was considered that the protest could have been avoided but for breakdown in communications. It was thus resolved that, going forward, all avenues of communication must be taken advantage of.
Addressing the stakeholders’ meeting, the chairman, Special Intervention Team, Engr. Andrew Olotu, who was represented by Comrade Austin Osakue, enjoined parties to build on the outcome of the meeting with a view to collectively moving the institution forward.
“We have all learnt one thing or the other from the protest of the past weeks. The situation has opened the eyes of all stakeholders to certain realities of today. We thank God and all parties for your sincere contributions towards the resolution of the various concerns that could have led to the students’ protest.
Comrade Osakue further said, “The decisions of the University’s Senate to suspend academic activities, dissolve the SUG, approve the appointment of a Caretaker Committee and direct resumption of academic activities were in order and borne out of a genuine desire to restore peace and normalcy to the institution.
On his part, the head of the Management team and Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor, Asomwan Sonnie Adagbonyin, said the university which has produced prominent Nigerians who are doing well in their various choice careers, had become a victim of bad press in recent times.
“We owe it a responsibility to ourselves and the institution to positively project AAU in everything we do, either as students or members of staff. Demarketing Ambrose Alli University for whatever reason does no one no good.
“It is our collective responsibility to make this University grow and better, which to me, is a doable project that must enjoy the support of all staff and students.
“Going forward, the Management will extend the period for the payment of school fees by a period of two weeks to accommodate returning students to meet up with their scheduled payment format. The various hostels will also open officially for all genuine students who may have conformed to the necessary line of procedure for accommodation.
The student body that was variously represented by the team from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the Caretaker Committee members, the immediate past SUG leadership, and the head of faculties and departments agreed on the need to run a crisis-free institution open for learning.
According to the immediate past SUG President, Oshioke Abdulfatai Ibrahim “The decision taken here today is acceptable to us as we now have a better understanding of all the concerns we raised that led to our protest. Our protest was in good faith, we love our school, and we will not do anything to bring down its image but the fact remains that we love our students more.
Meanwhile, the management has directed that late registration fees for the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 academic sessions be suspended with immediate effect “to allow all students access to the portal to register for their courses without the payment of late registration fees for both sessions as this will allow ICT Directorate to upload all results for both sessions.”
Further directives were given to the effect that “GST and ENT results for all students should be uploaded to the portal with immediate effect”, stressing that “the only criteria for upload of both results for the two sessions, in question, to kofa should be based on payment of full school fees.”
Kofa is an online platform instituted for the students by the management for payment, and other related communication.
Students have, therefore, been enjoined to send a mail to the ICT Director via [email protected] should they have issues with their school fees payment, results and course registration, with an assurance that such mail would be attended to within 48 hours.
