CONDEMNS THE CLOSURE OF OOU
DEMANDS the Reduction of the School Fees to N50,000, its Implementation
from the Current Session & Adequate Funding of the University!!
- Immediate & Unconditional Re-Opening of OOU & Democratic
Operation of the OOUSUG!!!
1.
The Joint Action Front (JAF)
declares its TOTAL SUPPORT for the demand by the students of Olabisi Onabanjo
University (OOU) Ago Iwoye on the Government of Ogun State for a further
reduction in school fees to N50,000 across board.
2.
JAF is in total agreement with the demands by
the OOU Students’ Union that the fee reduction regime announced by the Ogun
State Government is too minimal to translate into any fundamental relief to the
vast majority of students, who are from the background of the poor and working
class families. For instance, the medical students are still expected to pay
N176, 596 while students of the Faculty of Arts would be paying N81,112.
3.
Also, JAF considers as fraudulent the
pronouncement by the Ogun State Government that the new fees regime will
commence in the next academic session. We see this as a desperate attempt by
the Ibikunle Amosun anti-poor Government to hoodwink the mass of Ogun State
voters in the wake of the 2015 general elections.
4.
Therefore, we strongly support the demand by the
students for the fees reduction to N50,000 across board in OOU and this should
take effect from the current session.
5.
JAF is equally of the view that all the students
who have lost their studentship on the account of the inability to pay the
outrageous fees, which was effected by the infamous and deceptive Otunba Gbenga
Daniel (OGD) Government of Ogun State in February 2008, should be recalled
immediately.
6.
We should recall that the OGD government had
imposed the fees increment regime on 1st February 2008 through a
coercive and fraudulent agreement signed by his Government, OOU Students’ Union
and the Vice Chancellor AND Registrar of OOU. Parts of the anti-poor and wicked
agreement reads: “That the issue of increase in school fees is inevitable.
That the increase should be gradual with an annual auto inflation index of 20%
effective from 2008/2009 academic session. That fresh men who are indigenes of
Ogun State should pay 30% of the recommended unit cost of training an
undergraduate, while non-indigenes should pay 40%. Stallites in 200 level are
to pay 20% while non-indigenes are to pay 30%. Stallites from 300 level and
above are to pay 10% while non-indigenes are to pay 20%”.
7.
We in JAF hold that it is possible, on the
account of huge resources of the society, for university education to be made
accessible for students from poor and working class background but for the
anti-poor neo-liberal capitalist policies being operated by Government at all
levels irrespective of their political parties. This has been confirmed by the
TOTAL REVERSAL in fees (from N193000 and N350,000 to N25,000 across board) in
the Lagos State University (LASU).
8.
It should be stressed that it was the RESISTANCE
by LASU Students, JAF, ASUU LASU and other staff unions in LASU that compelled
the Governor Raji Fashola Lagos Government to capitulate shamelessly to the
REVERSAL of the wicked fees hike.
9.
JAF wishes to reiterate the Ogun State
Government should not only reduce the fees to N50,000 but also adequately fund
the OOU and all other levels of education in the state, in order to ensure that
the mass of poor and working class access functional education as a RIGHT.
10.
We call on staff unions – ASUU, SSANU, NASU and
NAAT in OOU to actively support the struggle of the students.
11.
We also urge the leadership of the students
union not to enter into any rotten compromise with the Ogun State Government
and the Management of the OOU, but should remain steadfast as victory is
achievable. The students union should be prepared to organise a series of mass
activities to popularize their demands among the populace and compel the
government to accede to the demands.
12.
JAF insists that the Resistance Should Continue and Demands:
· Reduction of the School Fees to
N50,000 and its Implementation from the Current Session
· Adequate
Funding of the OOU and all other levels of education in the state.
· Immediate and Uunconditional Re-Opening of OOU
· Democratic
Operation of the OOUSUG
· Academic
Freedom of the Staff unions and students in decision making on academic
standards and democratic running of the university.
DARE TO STRUGGLE, DARE TO WIN!
Dr. Oladipo
Fashina Comrade Abiodun Aremu
JAF Chairperson
JAF Secretary
