Emeka Ihiegbulem: Daily Champion, 7 August 2011
Orlu — The Rector of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, Imo State, Dr(Mrs.) Celestina Ugochi Njoku, has debunked the insinuations that the cause of the recent riot on campus which led to the immediate closure of the institution was due to increase in school fees.
She attributed the students' riot to the clandestine group which did not want Students' Union Government (SUG) election billed for last Wednesday to hold.
The Rector while conducting round the members of the Governing Council of the Polytechnic led by Dr. (Mrs.) Josephine Akhigbe, said the lectures were on when an armed group from outside the campus broke into the precincts of the Polytechnic, matched to the SUG complex called Liberation Headquarters, damaged the building and set it ablaze.
She disclosed that they later left the complex for the Students' Affair Department and subsequently got hold of the entire Polytechnic community.
It was gathered that inscriptions like, "No SUG Election", "Boko Haram in Nekede" and "Fuck You", were seen at the gate, walls and buildings on campus.
It was also gathered that the riot led to, among others, the smashing of over 35 motor vehicles with two burnt, carting away of desk top, laptop computers in the Digital Park II and Maths/ Statistics Department, refrigerators, air conditioners, TV sets, drugs, equipment at the Medical centre and breaking of many offices especially in the School of Business & Technology (S.O) and burning down of the Polytechnic's Security booth.
In an interview with the Rector in her office, she stated that the current school fees were on before she came on board, adding that sequel to the complaints from students, the fees were reduced.
"When I came on board, students protested and carried placards, calling on the Polytechnic's Management to come to their aid. After the meetings with them, I reviewed the fees downwards", she said.
The Rector said OND 1 was paying N31,000 but was reviewed to N30,600; OND II students were paying N30,600 but it reviewed to N30,500; HND 1, N24,550 to N24,050 while HND II students' fees were reduced to N22,300 from N23,080 .
"I should not have reduced it without clearance from Academic Board, I went ahead even though it was insignificant to do it", Dr. Njoku said, accusing the students of deliberately refusing to pay their school fees even when they had the money.
Her words: "These students from year to year will not pay. They live in self-contained apartments that are three times the school fees with all household gadgets. Some of them are businessmen with different outfits leaving the Polytechnic to suffer".
She also said some students were in the habit of forging the school payment receipt and that was why a Committee was set up to introduce 50 per cent penalty to discourage the student from paying late.
She said: "The students never grudged at that but it was surprising to hear that the Rector increased school fees. Let me ask, Does increment in school fees come mid-way in any academic session if there should be?"
However, Dr. (Mrs.) Josephine Akhigbe and the members of the Governing Council of the polytechnic expressed shock over the degree of destruction to the school's property.
