FUTA: Management cuts off water, power supply to students over fee increment protest

By Mo Isa

The management of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA has cut off water and power supply to student’s hostels.

CONVERSEER learned that this was coming in shortly after the students protested against exorbitant fee increments.

In a statement by the Students’ Union body on Monday, the students said the protest was peaceful, adding the act by the management was to take away their rights.

The statement which was signed by Olayemi Oluwasoromidayo S. and Sodiq Bashir A., President and Secretary General of the Students’ Union, read in part: “The Students’ Union has been and always will look forward to the collective good of the student populace and defend that mandate. In the words of Odumeqwu Ojukwu; “What have become in this struggle is the mouthpiece of my people. I go where they push and no more”. We want to appreciate the students for the solidarity we’ve shown so far, and showing strength in unity. As the popular adage goes, united we stand, divided we fall. We would continue to solicit for the cooperation of the students as this struggle is collective and not individual.

“The peaceful protest staged today (15 January 2024) has caused waves all over the state and the country at large and has further made our voices heard in the highest echelons of the management. However, it is disheartening how the management’s response to our peaceful, violence-free demonstration is to give a 24-hour ultimatum for the evacuation of the hostel and the water and power supply have also been shut off by the management. This decision was with utter disregard and without consideration of the students living in far distances making them prone to kidnapping and outrageous travel expenses. However, we are doing our best to make sure they are restored as soon as possible.

“During the protest, we had meetings with the Ondo State Commissioner of Police and the Director, State Security Service, Ondo State, stating our grievances and they responded that they would reach out to the management to plead on our behalf.

“We look forward to a progressive conclusion of this struggle as soon as possible. We employ the students to keep calm as we come fo a resolution. We will keep you updated on the next line of action.”

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CONVERSEER reports that on Monday 15 January 2024, students of FUTA, Akure, Ondo State, protested against fee increment by the management of the institution.

The students were carrying placards, some of which read: “No to fee increment”, “Enough is enough! #MyFather no fit afford N136k”, “I get 3 siblings, where I go see 300k+ 4 school fees?”, and several others.