Tuition fees: Coalition urges Northern students to halt planned protest

Coalition of Northern Groups Students Wing (CNG-SW) has called on students in the region to halt their proposed zonal protests over a hike in tuition fees in tertiary institutions in the 19 northern states.

The coalition said the decision became necessary after a meeting was held with Senate President Ahmed Lawan, who promised to swing into action to mitigate the effects of high tuition fees in the affected institutions.

The National Coordinator of CNG Student’s Wing, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, disclosed this while addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja.

He said the Senate Committee on tertiary education had also promised to invite all parties to address the issues. He also appealed to the students and other Nigerians to remain law-abiding and not take the law into their hands.

He said: “It should be recalled that the Coalition of Northern Groups Student’s Wing has pioneered challenging the earlier plan of increase in registration fees by the government because of the attendant suffering and devastation that can befall lives and livelihoods of millions of Nigerian students and its consequences on national security.

“In its attempt to ensure an immediate reversal of the hike, the CNG Student’s wing as apart of its consultations also paid a visit to the office of the President of the Senate on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, to remind him of their obligation and equally appeal to him on behalf of all well-meaning Nigerians to consider the current hardship in the country and see to the reversal of the hike, so as to enable children from poor and marginalised families have access to tertiary education.

“The CNG Student’s wing commends the Senate President for receiving us despite his crowded schedules, and other distinguished senators, in particular, the Chairman Senate Committee on Tertiary Education for their assurances to ‘swing into action with immediate effect in order to mitigate the consequential effect of the hike or see to its immediate reversal.’ The President of the Senate also added that, ‘we do not want to run away from our obligation of providing education for every Nigerian, which is their exclusive right.’

“In line with the above, all zonal rallies and state press conferences should be on hold, pending the outcome from the Senate,” he said.

He said the Chairman Senate Committee on Tertiary Education promised to invite all the concerned authorities effect to address the increment.