NANS Seeks Buhari’s Intervention Over 200% Tuitions Hike

by The Source

January 6, 2023

in Education

NANS urges NSCDC, We didn't endorse any presidential candidate, NANS launches #EndASUUStrikeNow project, Lack of quality leaders pushing Nigeria to precipice, Nigeria needs detailed soil survey, fertility maps Agric Minister The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr Mohammed Abubakar has said that the country needs detailed soil survey and soil fertility maps for a good understanding of the best ways of evaluating the potentials of the nation’s soils for agricultural production. The Minister said that this would stop blind application of fertiliser and ensure sustainable land use. Speaking at the at the commissioning of the Soil Testing and Geographic Information System (GIS) laboratories in Abuja on Tuesday, Dr Abubakar said the soil resources on which agriculture depends must also receive special attention for sustainable agricultural production. He reiterated the Federal Government's commitment to an agriculture led diversification of the nation’s economy, he The Minister noted that the facilities being commissioned has the capacity for analysing large quantities of soil samples rapidly. He explained that the laboratory also has capacity to receive soil field data real-time for processing, analyses and mapping. Dr Abubakar said the GIS technology with its versatility will facilitate the production of soil fertility maps for different parts of the country. "This will provide current information on the suitability and capability of lands for the production of different crops and land use. "The maps will provide information on crop and location specific types of fertiliser for blending by our blenders to enhance agricultural productivity and stop blind application of fertilisers in the country. "This is another bold step towards sustainable production of food using modern technology by paying attention to the health of our soils." Furthermore, he added that the Ministry is now in a position to provide technology-driven services for effective land resources management nationwide. He said that Federal government is committed to an agriculture led diversification of the nation’s economy. "This is another bold step towards sustainable production of food using modern technology by paying attention to the health of our soils. In his remarks, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, said the laboratories are expected to expand soil analytical services in the country and bring soil testing services closer to our farming communities. He said: "In our drive towards attaining food self-sufficiency, the facilities we are commissioning today are expected to contribute substantially in driving the process because the soil is the starting point when we talk of food security. He added that the commissioned soil testing and GIS laboratories will facilitate the production of national soil survey and soil fertility maps for the country. "We hope to complete the project in three years, subject to availability of resources. "The Nigerian Soil Information Service (NISIS) will be established at the end of the nationwide detailed soil survey., Don't harass residents , 2023 Elections: NANS queries N305 billion INEC budget, NANS warns against splinter group, NANS urges Lagos govt to take action on cultism, drug abuse in schools, NANS against fuel hike, NANS, killings, #EndSARS, protest, NANS, media, NANS Abiodun Tai Solarin

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National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has expressed strong opposition to the alleged plans by the federal universities in the country to increase, by 200 percent, their tuitions and various other charges from this year, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, intervene and stop the plan before it degenerates to crisis in the nation’s ivory towers.

NANS is the umbrella body of all Nigerian students in tertiary schools both at home and in the diaspora and it has about 50 million members globally.

The association made their displeasure known in a letter written to President Buhari, dated January 4, 2023, and titled: “Request for fatherly intervention on school fees increment by tertiary institutions in Nigeria.”

The letter, a copy of which was obtained by Nigerian Tribune, on Friday, was signed by both the National President and the Senate President of the association, Usman Umar Barambu and Attah Unalue Felix, respectively.

The students also copied for their notice the Minister of Education, the Executive Secretary of NUC, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, the National security Adviser and the Inspector General of Police, among others.

The students though commended President Buhari for his efforts so far on education, security and other sectors of the economy despite the global economic downturn that also hit Nigeria, said they were by the letter, bringing to his notice, the plan by the governing councils of federal universities in the country to hike their tuitions by 200 percent and their own opposition to such plan.

They said the VCs by the such move, are not only inconsiderate but also insensitive to the plights of their students.

They said President Buhari should quickly intervene and stop the move as the majority of them who attend public universities, particularly in Nigeria, are from financially disadvantaged homes and would not be able to afford such an increment.

They said the school workers including the vice-chancellors and lecturers of various universities had already devised a special way of mitigating the effects of the planned increment by granting their own children in those schools significant rebate while leaving others from poor homes to their fate.

They said they, as a union, had reached out to relevant stakeholders in line with the constitution as a pressure group on the matter and now at this time calling on President Buhari as a father and a visitor to all the federal universities in the country, to intervene and stop the increment.

They said, “NANS will not leave any stone unturned on this development because public tertiary schools are the last hope for the common man.”

They asked rhetorically where to go again to study if they could not access tertiary education through government schools in the country.

They said should there be any increment in their school fees, which come under the branded name known as statutory fee and other charges as planned by the universities, many of them would certainly drop out of school and many would not also be able to further their education to tertiary schools again in the country.

They said they want to believe that President Buhari would not allow such situation to happen knowing fully well its adverse consequences, hence his immediate intervention on the matter.