By UCHENNA UGWU

The Clinical Students of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi, have protested the hike in tuitions and accommodation fees by the school management.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the students barricaded Abakaliki-Enugu expressway along the AE Federal Teaching Hospital.

The Protesting students, in Abakaliki on Tuesday issued a document containing their challenges to journalists, especially on the issue of fees increase.

Jude Agbo, a student described the increase as “outrageous”.

“We are protesting because of the increment on our school fees, accommodation levy and unsuitable hostel condition.

“We do not want the school management directive, that we should pay fees according to General unyiversity academic session, instead of college of medicine session.

“Fresh students is to pay a sum of N 579, 500; N353, N300,000 is for 200 level while 300 level clinical student pays N551, 300.

“Developmental levy is to be paid by all classes of the college. We demand that the payment of this developmental levy be paid only upon admission into the college and not continuously every session.

Also another N250, 000 is being paid by fresher and N100,000 by others classes .

“The fees are obviously on the high side and outrageous for an institution owned by the federal government, ” Agbo stated.

In his response, Prof Sunday Elom, Vice Chancellor of the university noted that the school was only charging the students a sum of N520,500 per a session.

Elom, who was represented by Mr Iyke Ubochi, University’s Public Relations Officer, said the fees was not meant to suffer the students.

“Interest of the students is paramount as far as the university is concerned. The reason remains that the school have issued them ejection notice because they refused to pay for accommodation.

“The word outrageous, we do not know what they meant by the word in comparison to fees paid by medical students of other universities.

“These are 400 level clinical students at the AE university teaching hospital, undergoing their clinical training.

“Hostel fees, student charge, development levy, Internet among others were inclusive in N520,500. So if you add it up, it will give you the amount.

“The fees were competitive to any other university in the country whether public or private owned.

“Students should understand that university system is not dependent on external variable. It is run session by session,” the Vice-Chancellor added. (NAN)

•Protesting Alex Ekwueme Varsity clinical students