FG, RSG Move To Resolve UNIPORT Impasse …Constitute Fact-Finding Panels

L-R: PDP National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, PDP National Chairman, Dr Ali Modu Sheriff, and Acting Chairman of PDP National Working Committee, Uche Secondus, during the inauguration of PDP Special Committees for the coming National Convention in Abuja on Tuesday

Following the recent spate of unrest in some tertiary institutions in the country, such as the University of Port-Harcourt (UNIPORT), University of Lagos (UNILAG), Benue State University, among others,  the office of the Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Students’ Affairs (OSAPYS), has reached out to major stakeholders towards resolving the problem.
Similarly, the Rivers State Government has taken pragmatic measures to liaise with authorities of the University of Port Harcourt to resolve the crisis which forced the institution to shut down following students’ protest over hike in fees last Monday.
The Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Students’ Affairs, Nasir Sa’idu Adhama, who made the disclosure, noted that his office has been in constant consultation with relevant stakeholders.
These include the institutions’ managements, students’ union leaders, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Federal Ministry of Education, and the National Board for Technical Education.
The consultation it was learned was aimed at addressing the incidence of unstable power supply which had reduced water supply and caused a hike in transportation fares at these troubled institutions.
Adhama said: “In the Interim, a high powered fact finding team, is being constituted to work with relevant agencies and affected institutions to ascertain the immediate causes of the crises and proffer solutions for academic activities to be restored at these affected campuses.”
While expressing condolence and sympathy on the loss of lives in some of the protests, Adhama, however, appealed to Nigerian students to maintain law and order in the pursuit of their legitimate rights.
“The Federal Government remains committed to addressing the lingering power and energy challenges and needs the support and understanding of all Nigerians to achieve desired results,” he said.
Condemning destructions of public properties during some of the protests, he called on students to engage management in constant consultations as the best negotiating tool in addressing all current contentions arising from change in institution’s policies.”
A statement signed by Okpanachi Jacob, Technical Assistant (Students), OSAPYS, quoted the SSA to the President as saying, “I wish to draw our student leaders’ and students’ attention to the three Cs’ of Consultation, Consolidation and Confrontation which they are familiar with.
“Reports so far gathered confirm poor consultation between students’ leaders and institution’s management before adopting confrontation as a solution to the plights of students at our campuses,” it stated.
However, Governor Nyesom Wike said the government would intervene in the matter, when he received the national leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who were in Government House, Port Harcourt, to brief him on the UNIPORT incident which led to the death of a student, Comrade Peter Ofurum and other casualties.
Wike, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, said the Rivers State Government regrets the unfortunate incident which led to the death of the final year student of the institution, and promised to liaise with other agencies to get to the root of the matter to forestall future occurrence.
The governor thanked the students’ leaders for their maturity in conduct, and enjoined them to continue to preach peace while assuring that the state government will ensure the release of all students arrested by the police in connection with the protest.
The state chief executive condoled the family of the late student who died in course of the protest and the entire Nigerian students, while assuring that the Rivers State Government will support in the burial arrangements of their late colleague.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Vice Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), Comrade Ufuoma Victor Erharhine, had called on the state government to wade into the matter and set up an investigative panel to unravel the mystery surrounding the shooting of late Peter Ofurum.
The students’ leader demanded the immediate abolition of the ”no school fees, no examination policy” of the school as well as lift the ban on Student Union Government (SUG) activities in the institution, among other demands.
Ufuoma further commended the state governor for his show of love for students in the state, and appealed to him to ensure the release of some students who are still in the custody of the police.