ABIA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY TO SUSPENDS PAYMENT OF NEW ACCEPTANCE FEE
(Final Verdict to be Made on 7th, October...)
It was a busy day for members of the Abia state house of Assembly as they deliberated on various issues affecting the state.
The house resumed plenary today at exactly 1:12 pm after it adjourned on Wednesday September 25th, 2019 with an opening prayer by the member representing Isialangwa South
constituency, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu.
The house adopted the votes and proceedings of her last plenary as a working document of the house in a motion moved by the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Barr. Solomon Akpulonu and seconded by the Minority Leader, Hon. Sir Abraham Oba.
In a motion of urgent public importance, the
member representing Isialangwa North constituency, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe lamented over what he described as an outrageous
increment of acceptance fee by the management of Abia State University, Uturu.
According to the law maker, from information gathered through his constituents who had besieged his house soliciting for his help, acceptance fees for professional courses in ABSU now stand at #150, 000 while that of none professional courses now stand at #100, 000.
He prayed that the house should;
1) direct its committee on education to investigate the arbitrary increment and
2) direct the institution to henceforth suspend the payment of this new acceptance fee pending the time the house makes
her findings.
Other members who lent their voice in support of the motion includes;
the member representing Umuahia East Constituency, Hon.
Chukwudi Apugo who described the increments as a broad
day rubbery.
Hon. Paul Taribo – representing Ukwa East Constituency labeled it outrageous and stated that they should not have even been a disparity between professional and none professional fees as it regards to accepting admission in the
higher institutions.
In his own contribution, the Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Uchendu was of the opinion that the house should invite the Vice Chancellor of the institution to explain to the house why the increments were carried out so as to enable the house tackle the issue with the urgency it requires. The Deputy Speaker argued that passing through the
committee to investigate the matter would take a longer time.
Hon. Barr Emeka Okoroafor – representing Isiukwuato state constituency in his own contributions added that the house
should invite the accountant general of the state to know how subventions are paid to the management of the institution.
Hon. Dr. Mike Ukoha also spoke in support of the motion.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji assured that the house will protect the students, a task he stated that
they owe to the parents who suffers a lot to raise money for school fees. He faulted the decision of the management of the institution to increase the acceptance fee without wide
consultation with parents and relevant government agencies.
The house therefore granted the prayer of Hon. Ginger Onwusibe as it directed its committee on Education which is chaired by Hon. Thomas Nkoro A. C to investigate the matter and report back to it on Monday the 7th day of October, 2019.
The house also resolved that the management of Abia state University, Uturu should suspend the collection of these new acceptance fees from new students of the institution pending
when the committee presents her report.
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