Nation
UNIBEN Students Block Highway Over N20,000 Late Registration Charge
Vehicular movement was disrupted at Ugbowo section of Benin-Ore highway as students of University of Benin protested the alleged imposition of N20,000 late registration charge by the institution.
The students mounted road block at the entrance of the university’s main campus in Ugbowo, yesterday morning, which affected free flow of traffic.
A student of the university, who preferred anonymity, described the decision of the university management as harsh, saying it did not take into consideration “the unfavourable economic situation in the country”.
“Madam Vice Chancellor increased tuition fees by N20,000. This is so sad and we will continue the protest unless the decision is rescinded,” she said.
President of the Student Union Government (SUG), Mr Benjamin Egwu, also said that the decision was in bad faith.
“Earlier this semester, the management of the University of Benin announced that it would put extra charges if school fee was not paid on time and we are saying they should not charge for late payment because the time is not okay.
“The school resumed on August 15, and one month after they begin to charge N20,000.
“Our school fees as at the time I was admitted into the university in 2016 was N13,000 for Arts students and N15,000 for the Science students.
“In 2018, it was increased to N41,000 for arts and N45,000 for science.
“The N20,000 additional charge is unbearable for the students; though a lot of students have paid school fees, but those ones that are unable to pay, truly don’t have the money now.
“So, adding extra N20,000 when they have not been able to pay 41,000 is another burden,” he said.
Egwu alleged that the management had threatened to withdraw any student who failed to pay.
“The excess of N20,000 is uncalled for. Before now, what we used to do was no school fees, no examination; there’s no problem about that.
“What the students are doing is right, protest is not a bad thing, it is a way of appealing particularly when they feel cheated.”
Egwu said that the union had reached out to the institution’s management on the matter, even before the protest.
“Well, I have done my bit. I have spoken with the management and posited my idea on what I feel.
“I believe they heard me and the message is clear. I am expecting the management to act and I believe they will act in no distant time; there is no need to rush,” the SUG president said.
Efforts to reach the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Dr Bennedicta Ehanire, were to no avail as she neither responded to messages nor picked her calls.
Nation
Rivers Deputy Governor Hails PH City One Love For Humanitarian Gesture
Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.
She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.
Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.
The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.
Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.
He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.
Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.
He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.
According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.
Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.
Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them
John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah
Nation
We’ll Partner Private Sector to Industrialize Rivers State – Fubara …Hints Revitalization of Ahoada, Trans Amadi Industrial layout
Nation
SheVentures Open Zero-interest Loan Applications for Women Entrepreneurs
“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively. Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.
“This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs”, Edun said.
Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo said access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs.
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