DELSU Students Kick Over N5, 000 COVID-19 Fee

By Favour Oghenefejiro
The joy of returning back to school after months of lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been dashed for some students of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, as the university management has said that undergraduates are to pay the sum of N5, 000 COVID-19 levy to assist the institution in beefing up protocols to limit the spread of the disease.

Some students are opposed to the COVID-19 levy of Five Thousand Naira COVID-19 levy.

Oasis Magazine (OM) gathered that postgraduate students were also asked to pay the sum of N10, 000.

According to some of the students that contacted Oasis Magazine (OM), the price of goods, hike in transportation fare and increase of their hostel rents that were doubled are already enough challenges to deal with, saying that they are yet to come to terms with the fee the management said will be used to upgrade COVID-19 facilities in the institution.

A student under conditions of anonymity, said: “The message was sent across through a social media platform (WhatsApp group chat) by the Director of Information (S.U.G), Mr. Emetenjor Friday by 2:20pm yesterday, stating that “all returning postgraduate and undergraduate students of the Delta State University Abraka are required to pay the sum of N5,000 for the upgrade of COVID-19 facilities in the school.”

She added: “Immediately, students reaction flared up on social media,” saying that the Student Union Government (S.U.G) could not speak on behalf of the students.

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A 100 Level student, Emoefe said: “This is a new cash out policy for the school. Our school could not provide us nosemasks. I won’t say they didn’t try. Hand sanitizers were provided for us but I see this N5,000 COVID-19 fee as another source of income for the school.”

On her part, Ajiri, a 200 Level student, she voiced that “we are not suppose to pay for COVID-19 fee because I can not pick up my phone to call my parents for COVID-19 fee. They will think I’m trying to extort money from them.”

Vivian, a 400 Level student said: “I was thinking our school management is very considerate. Most of us barely feed because of the pandemic that affected us all. Most of my course mates haven’t resumed because they are broke. I am pleading for the removal of this payment.”

Oasis Magazine spoke with the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Andy Egwunyenga.

According to him, the school management held a meeting with the Student Union leaders and a decision was reached that all stakeholders including staff and students are to contribute to generate fund due to the absence of funding from other sources.

His words: “As people can see, we are already installing various palliatives instruments to limit the spread of the pandemic. There are handwashing machines at different spots in the institution.

“In the absence of any other source of funds we agreed after a meeting with the student leaders on the levy. It was not imposed.”