The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Ondo State described plans Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to reduce tuition fees in tertiary institutions in the state as a mere campaign to hoodwink the electorates ahead of the October 10 governorship elections.
It said making such a pledge that elections are just around the corner was laughable and ridiculous.
Akeredolu had said plans were already on to reduce tuition fees when the National Association of Nigerian Students visited him on Wednesday, August 19, 2020.
Akeredolu informed the students that he sent his team to find out the tuition payable in other state owned institution with a view to knowing what steps to take on the reduction of tuition in the state.
According to Akeredolu, “Students are important to us. It will take all of us to sit down to have this discussion about tuition. It’s not a discussion of the deaf. All of us will be hearing. A time when you go to Abuja and take N9 billion as against when you go to Abuja now and get far less and you have to pay salary.
“At my last meeting, I have said let me have where they are paying less than what we charge here. What we found out was that for those newly admitted, we still charge the lowest intuition but for the second year and all, we have state-owned institutions that charge lesser than us. And if not for this issue of COVID, we have decided to reduce it. We will reduce it.
“It’s not a matter for political gains. I know by the time we announce it they will turn it to political gains. We will make sure that by next week we make the announcement on the fee.”
The Ondo PDP in a statement signed by its spokesman, Kennedy Ikantu Peretei, wondered whether Akeredolu just realised that hundreds of students have dropped out of state-owned tertiary institutions on account of increased fees?
“Did Akeredolu not say that the increment of fees parents were complaining about is not more than the cost of a pair of shoes?
“Making such a pledge now that elections are just around the corner is laughable and ridiculous. It is a calculated attempt to deceive the people who have outrightly rejected Akeredolu and the APC for anti-people policies and Programmes.
Source: The Nation
