UNIBEN: Vice Chancellor Asked To Resign, As Students Protest Imposition Of Fine On School Fees

By Ayodele Oni

There was disruption of commercial activities at the ever busy Lagos – Benin highway in Edo state as Students of the University Of Benin (UNIBEN) took to the streets of Benin metropolis to protest against some decisions of the University’s Management.

It was gathered that the students were protesting what they described as the incessant increment imposed on late payment of school fees.

Authority of the school had imposed an extra N6,000 on students that refused to pay their school fees before the stipulated time.

The official school fees payable is N14,000 and those that could not meet the deadline for payment will have to pay N20,000, which the students described as arbitrary.

The protesting students claimed that it was quite difficult to cough out the required N14, 000, but the University’s Management went ahead to add an extra N6, 000 to it.

The Management of UNIBEN had earlier announced that students who did not pay school fees within the stipulated time will have to pay extra charges and may likely have their studentship withdrawn.

The increment is for late payment only, it said, but according to the students late payment is supposed to commence during the second semester and not the first semester.

According to the students, some of them have issues which caused delayed payment like some 100 level students who are yet to be cleared and wouldn’t be able to pay their school fees until they are cleared.

Part of the UNIBEN Main Gate which is at the busy Benin/Lagos highway, was blocked, causing  traffic gridlock for vehicles traveling along the route.

Reacting to the students protest, a religious leader in Benin city, President of One Love Foundation, Patrick Eholor asked the  Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Lillian Salami, to resign.

“The Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof Salami is one lady whom we all had high hopes in. As a woman and mother, we expected a lot from her. Where men failed, its the woman that rights the wrongs and restores hope and confidence in the people.

But she has ended up being a bundle of disappointment to us all. How do you explain the increment of late payment of school fees against the students, which is against their parents?

“You already imposed a whopping N6, 000 fine on them for not paying on time. And now, in the middle of a recession, a period that has almost matured into a full blown depression, you are increasing the fine.

“If they had the money, will they delay in paying it in the first place? We at One Love Foundation are calling on the Management of UNIBEN to retrace steps now, and take the right step for the sake of humanity.

“As a matter of fact, the Vice Chancellor as a matter of principle, should apologise to the students for putting them through unnecessary stress and anxiety. She should also do the honourable thing by resigning her appointment or she should sit up and do a better job than what she is currently doing.”