…Urges S’East students to subscribe to NELFUND
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, MOUAU, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, has refuted speculations that the management of the institution increased school fees by 400 per cent.
Professor Iwe who was responding to a question during a pre-convocation press conference at the university on Thursday, urged students from the South-East zone to stop complaining but subscribe to the National Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, and bankroll their studies.
He expressed worry over the reluctance of students from South’East zone in embracing the students loan scheme unlike their counterparts from other zones.
The VC disclosed that the university had a NELFUND mark-up of N120,000 per student who applied last session, and N150,000 in the new session.
He, therefore, urged students of the university and other tertiary institutions in the South-East to subscribe to the loan scheme.
Prof. Iwe said: It’s embarrassing that students from other parts of the country are accessing the fund while students from South-East are unwilling to subscribe.
“It’s Nigeria’s money. Our students should subscribe to it like others.”
The VC refuted rumours that the management of MOUAU had hiked its school fees by 400 per cent, dismissing it as a cheap blackmail.
He explained that only charges like transformation and sports which could not be static due to the economic realities that witnessed slight upward review.
The VC cautioned against spreading misleading information about the university, insisting that the management did not hike any fees.
“We did not increase charges by 400%; not even by 10%. We only increased transportation charge from N8,000 to N10,000 per session. NUGA also increased sports charges and we collect and hand over to them.
“We know that things are difficult and we are careful. People should stop spreading lies about us.”
The VC further expressed delight that the university which “was flagged yellow” before he came on board, had under his watch, started accessing TetFUND for infrastructural development.
“We have started accessing TetFUND again and we’re using it for development including the development of our permanent site.”
Meanwhile, the VC hinted that no fewer than 163 students of the university made First Class honours in the forthcoming 12th convocation ceremony of the institution slated for Saturday.
He said 1, 710 students out of the total 4,743 graduands made second class upper while others made second class lower and other grades.
The VC further disclosed that Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, would on Friday, deliver a convocation lecture to be chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin.
Professor Iwe who said some new programmes including Geology and Food Engineering had been introduced in the university under his watch, expressed optimism that some of the de-listed programmes of the institution would be restored.
He said the institution had been making investments to shore up its internally generated revenue to reduce its dependence on allocation.
The VC noted that many universities in the country were yet to recover from the eight months of strike by the academic staff of universities in 2022.
