From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The Kogi State Government has defended the recent review of tuition fees at Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, (PAAU) saying that the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Salisu Usman acted in line with government directive.
Government also said that the review was part of a unified policy aimed at harmonising charges across all state-owned universities.
The Vice Chancellor of Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, Prof. Salisu Ogbo Usman, and the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Wemi Jones, made this clarification on Monday while appearing before the Kogi State House of Assembly Committee on Education over a petition alleging an increase in school fees at PAAU and Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.
The committee, chaired by Alhaji Idris Maikudi, also had Hon. Bode Ogunmola, representing Ogori-Magongo, and Hon. Abu Jibril, representing Ajaokuta State Constituency, in attendance.
Explaining the rationale behind the review, the Commissioner for Education said adjustments to school fees were never undertaken in isolation, noting that the state government usually sets up a committee to accommodate different interests whenever such a review becomes necessary, particularly in view of the administration’s free education policy.
Jones disclosed that a letter conveying the directive for the fee review was sent to PAAU as far back as 2024 but was not fully implemented at the time.
He said the current implementation was in line with a uniform fee structure for state-owned universities, which had already been adopted by other institutions in the state.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Usman, maintained that the university merely implemented the state government’s directive, stressing that his administration did not independently increase the fees.
He said his humble background had naturally made him sympathetic to the plight of students and parents, but added that as the head of an institution, he was obligated to operate within the provisions of the law and government policies.
The Vice Chancellor further argued that despite the review, fees charged by Kogi State universities remained considerably lower than those of neighbouring states.
He cited Edo, Ekiti, Ondo and Osun States as examples, where students studying Medicine and Law pay significantly higher fees, in response to questions from members of the committee.
Prof. Usman also highlighted the state government’s investment in sustaining Medical Sciences programmes, recalling that the Medical programme at PAAU collapsed in 2012, forcing students to be transferred to Ebonyi and Kaduna States to complete their studies.
He said the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo had addressed the challenge by putting structures in place to sustain medical training in two state-owned universities.
The Vice Chancellor urged students to take advantage of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), revealing that 4,032 students of the university had been approved for the scheme, with N562 million cleared for payment.
He added that applications from another 600 students were being processed, while beneficiaries were also entitled to a monthly upkeep allowance of N20,000.
On the allegation involving Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, the Rector, Prof. Salihu Sanusi Avidime, said he was not aware of any petition concerning an increase in fees, insisting that his administration had not raised school charges.
Rather, he explained that the institution had reduced accommodation fees following complaints by parents over accommodation challenges.
The Commissioner for Education corroborated the Rector’s position, describing the inclusion of the Polytechnic in the petition as strange and frivolous.
Meanwhile, the House Committee cautioned individuals and groups against submitting petitions to the Assembly without making themselves available to defend the allegations contained therein.
The committee observed that such practice amounted to a waste of legislative time and was unfair to institutions invited to respond to claims that had not been substantiated.
However, the lawmakers requested additional documents as part of efforts to conduct a thorough examination of the petition, assuring that the matter would be handled with due diligence and in accordance with legislative procedures in the interest of the institutions and students.
In their separate appeals, the National Chairman of the National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS), Comrade Isiaka Amoto, and the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Adams Abdulrazaq, urged the lawmakers to prevail on Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to reconsider the fees with a view to effecting a slight reduction to ease the financial burden on students and their parents.
