Nigerian govt gets 7-day ultimatum to abolish acceptance fees in tertiary institutions

The federal government of Nigeria has been given a 7-day ultimatum to abrogate admission acceptance fees into all tertiary institutions in the country to encourage learning.

Rights group, One Love Foundation said they decided to give the one week notice to the current government of the country and should the government failed, they will not also fail to seek redress in the court of law to put an end to the ugly scenario.

The group made this known in a statement issued to newsmen by its coordinator, Mr. Patrick Osagie Eholor, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

The statement said they have been overwhelmed with the outcries of the poor masses whose academic pursuits have been truncated due to their inability to pay the thousands of money as acceptance fee before they could be admitted into the universities under the guise of professional admission.

“Our attention has been drawn to overwhelming protests and outcry from students, parents and the general public of Edo State and Nigeria in general in respect of oppressive and unbearable admission acceptance fees which newly admitted students are compelled to pay by the government in our various institutions.

“Investigations by our foundation indicate that these fees range between N40,000 to as much as N60,000 in some state per student. And that of some federal institution is even higher.

“These fees pose additional hardship and obstacles to tertiary education aspiration of our well-meaning youths and parents whose enthusiastic votes brought the present administration to power.”

Mr. Eholor further accused the government of being insensitive to the plight of the commoners, adding that under this current administration, higher education has become the birth rights of the few rich in the nation.

“Subsequently, under the this administration, only a very slim minority of Nigeria citizens who are either successful industrialists or privileged commissioners, government appointees, anointed contractors, treasury looters, fraud and politicians with deep pockets have the right to give higher education to their children,” the statement added.

The statement further appealed to Nigerian government to hurt acceptance fees in all tertiary institutions throughout or be prepared for a legal action.

“Our foundation hereby stands with every Nigerians both parents and families to resist and reclaim the right of these future leaders to affordable and qualitative education.