By Alfred Saiki, Rhoda Yakubu, Mary Vontau and Ogechi Anyanwu,
The end of the on-going saga between the management of the University of Jos and the Student Union Government (SUG) doesn’t seem to be in sight, as the President of the SUG, Sidney Daman, has urged the students not to pay the new school fees purportedly increased by the management without proper consultation with the SUG.
SUG PRESIDENT, SIDNEY AND SUG PRO, EMMANUEL
The SUG President, Sidney Daman in an exclusive interview with REALITY, today, expressed his disappointment with the management of University of Jos and accused the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sabastine Maimako of lying to parents at the stakeholders meeting.
“On the 16th of this month, the Vice Chancellor at a meeting with parents, stake holders and the management said some certain things at the meeting, like the student union had agreed that each student was going to be levied the sum of 1000 naira each for the renovation of the burnt library at the Naraguta campus. For us in the Student Union Government (SUG), it is a total lie! Because there was never a time we sat anywhere with the management to discuss this. We never heard of this till the VC mentioned it at the meeting”. Daman stated.
Daman went further to add that, “Again he said students have agreed to pay the sum of 45,000 naira as new school fees, yes it true we have been having negotiations with the management, but as I speak to you, there was never a time we agreed that students should pay the said amount. In all the meetings we have had with management, we as students have always said “NO” to the increment. So it perturbs me to hear that the VC would say that students have agreed to pay the 45,000 naira school fees”.
Asked what message he has for the students, as their leader and spokes person, the SUG President said “For me and my exco, our message to the students is quite simple, we don’t want any student to pay this money, we are saying no to this increment. What the VC said is not true. He lied to parents. The students should not pay as negotiations continue with the management”.
UNIJOS SUG PRESIDENT, SIDNEY You would recall that recently the University of Jos was engulfed with complains and issues of students paying into wrong accounts. The SUG President laid the blame squarely at the doorstep of the school management.
“Students made payment but they were issued with fake receipts and this problem is an internal problem. It emanated from the ICT, there was porosity on the side of the school management, students were paying into a wrong account or into wrong hands. In the process of negotiation with the school management to find a lasting solution so that at the end of the day both management and students would be happy, due to the pressure the school management put on the students by telling them that if you don’t pay your school fees, you are not a student and you would not be allowed to write your exams, students out of fear started paying the school fees, and it was too late for us as a union to intervene because most of our members had gone ahead to pay the school fees out of fear”.
On his part the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the SUG, Emmanuel Jesse, wanted the students to have faith in the administration of Sidney Daman led SUG, assuring students that they would protect their interest at all times.
“The theme of the Sidney Daman led Exco is the re introduction of the ideology of student unionism back on campus and ever since we assumed office we have been trying through various means and projects to achieve that. Sadly our administration was plagued by a lot of issues like the school fees saga and the burnt library. This affected student’s relationship with the SUG, especially with the school fees issue”.
“For the increment issue, as you heard the SUG President say, we held a meeting of our own after the stake holders meeting with the VC. What amazed us most was when the VC referred to us as observers, how can you call a meeting of stakeholders in a university and say students are observers. The SUG President tried to speak but he was not given an opportunity to speak”.
“So we held a meeting of our own on Friday and we discussed with a great majority and representatives of the students, and we unanimously agreed to say no to the 45,000 naira increment. This increment pinches everybody, whether the rich or poor. I cannot be in a civil service state, where my parents are earning 18,000 naira, and we are two in University of Jos, which means we would pay 90,000 naira. Mind you we still have to pay for hostel accommodation, aside monies given to us for upkeep and school books”.
“It was a unanimous agreement to reject the increment and students are solidly behind us and this struggle. We are also imploring the students, “Nobody should pay the 45,000 naira.
