The management of Lautech alleged plan to hike tuition fees payable in the citadel of learning has attracted condemnations.
The lawmaker representing Ogbomoso North/South/Oriire Federal Constituency, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi, described the plan as ill-conceived and an attempt to deprive potential students from humble background right to quality education as constitutionally guaranteed.
He said no responsible government would think of denying its citizens standard education let alone astronomically increase tuition fees.
Ogunwuyi lamented that many Nigerians have had to contend with harsh economic condition foisted on them by the government at the centre and turning around to further complicate their problems would be most unacceptable.
He explained that for the past four years, Lautech has not successfully run two sessions, it has always been from one issue to another. The recent one is the increment of tuition fees from N65,000 to N200,000/session for indigenes of the two owner-states and N70,000 to N250,000/session for non-indigenes of the states. He stated that the action shows how insensitive and heartless the APC led government of both states are to the masses.
The lawmaker further said the government led by All Progressives Congress (APC) had shown every right thinking Nigerian that its time was up and it would be unfortunate if allowed to continue beyond 2019.
Hon. Ogunwuyi warned the government against any decision that would impoverish the more the less privileged in the society, saying government can only be entrusted with the mandate of the people to cater for their welfare and improve their standard of living.
“Since the alarm raised on the plan to hike tuition fees in the institution, I have become worried as one of the stakeholders in the Nigerian project as well as the lawmaker representing the constituency where the institution is located as this is another attempt to subject citizens to further hardship. This plan, if it is true as reported, is nothing but wickedness.
“Our belief is that no responsible government would take such callous and heinous decision. As far as I am concerned, this decision is a recipe to perdition for government that has failed in its responsibility to improve on the standard of living of our people and reinvigorate the economy”, Ogunwuyi said.
He urged the citizens and particularly stakeholders in the education sector of both owed states to rise against the planned hike in tuition fees in the institution.
He Further enjoined the Speaker of the House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Gunju Ojo who is also an indigene of Ogbomoso and the other members representing Ogbomoso zone to use all legislative and lobbying skillskills to ensure the tuition hike does not see the light of the day.
“Lautech as we all know is a state University and no motion or law from the Federal Government is binding on them, it’s the duty of the House of Assembly to ensure the state government listen to the voice of the masses” Ogunwuyi said.
