By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has finally succumbed to the demands of the students and drastically reduced fees payable in the university.

This followed five days of intense negotiations between the university management and the Students Union Government (SUG).

The students had last week blocked the Enugu-Onitsha expressway over hike in school fees and called on the school authorities to reduce the fees immediately.

They argued that UNIZIK was among the costliest federal government –owned universities in the country, adding that their parents and guardians could no longer cope with the fees.

The management of the university went into negotiations with members of the SUG and eventually reached a consensus on Friday night, thus paving the way for a smooth matriculation ceremony that took place today (Friday).

In the revised fees, incoming medicine, pharmacy and science-based students would henceforth pay N89,000 as against over N100,000 earlier paid, while arts based coursed would attract N84,000.

Fees for returning students were also reduced from about N53,000 to N40,000 for science students and N22,200 for arts students.

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Joseph Ikechebelu, who led the negotiating team, expressed joy that normalcy, had finally returned after the protest few days ago.

Other officials of the university who took part in the negotiation are, deputy registrar, Mrs. Philomena Okoye, the director of Academic Planning, Professor Ike Odumegwu, a Council member, Professor Umenweke, Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Carol Arinze-Umeobi and Bursar, Dr. John Ojukwu.

The DVC added: “The management of the university and the entire students’ body are in total agreement with the new schedule of fees. This has put to rest the information making the rounds that the students are agitating for fee reduction.

“With this agreement, any further protest would be considered irrational and anybody involved in it should be prepared to face the consequences.”

The vice president of the SUG, Miss Ukoha Chito, who stood in for the president, Mr. Anyim Chukwuemeka, said the students were happy that the negotiations that lasted for five days had come to a successful end.

She said that the development is good for both the students and tge management of the university.

Miss Chito said: “We are happy to inform our students that there has been a reduction in fees payable by the students. We assure that with this agreement, there would be no more protests of any kind in the university.”

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