The Students Union Government (SUG) of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH) Okitipupa in Ondo has appealed to Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for further reduction in its tuition fees.

This was contained in a statement issued by the institution’s SUG President, Comrade Damilola Okunomo on Tuesday in Okitipupa.

Okunomo pleaded with Akeredolu to prevail over the institution’s Governing Council for further reduction of the tuition fees to be in tandem with the economic reality with the best legacy that could be handed over to unborn generations.

It was gathered that students were paying between N80,000 and N100,000 which was hiked to between N150,000 and N200,000 for indigents and non-indigens respectively.

According to him, Akeredolu recently reduced the tuition fees of other state-owned institutions but OAUSTECH was neglected with no reason whatsoever.

“OAUSTECH fee hike, an ugly phenomenon have dealt a huge blow to the future of Nigerians and Ondo students and youths. It negates the founding ideology of the great citadel of learning.

“On different occasions, the Police attacked, intimidated and harassed our students as they shot teargas and bullets in their bid to disperse us while pressing home our demands and some students were hospitalised for sustaining varying degrees of injuries.

“We have defy all odds to exercise our inalienable rights as provided in section 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because we are fighting a just cause.

“The hike in school fees is contrary to the ruling party’s All Progressive Congress (APC) manifesto that promised free and qualitative education.

“To survive in the modern economy, education is a must and as such, responsible leadership must view education as a public right and no longer a luxury to be engaged only by those with the money to purchase it for themselves.

“He who does something through another person is deemed to have done for himself as the visitor and principal, you have been vested with the power of absolute ratification of OAUSTECH governing council’s decision.

“Without any iota of ambiguity and all sense of humility, we plead with you to come to our aid especially in terms tuition fees,” Okunomo pleaded