Delta: Asking Students To Pay COVID-19 Levy Is Another Form Of SARS- Sovereignty

By Daniel Dafe
A student leader in Delta State, Oturu Sovereignty, has called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to intervene and stop tertiary institutions from demanding payment of COVID-19 levies from students in the state.

Sovereignty in an open letter to the Governor, wondered why students in Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, were given deadline by the university management to pay the Four Thousand Naira levy COVID-19 fee.

Recall that the university authority said October 30 was the deadline for the payment of this levy.

A statement by one of the university’s SUG official read:
“Deadline for payment of the facility upgrade fee has been moved to 30th of October, 2020. This deadline is only for 100L and Final Year students of the University, as those who do not pay, will not be allowed to sit for the second semester examination.

“Transfers can be made to the designated banks, as the banks will print out names of those that made transfers and send to the University for verification.”

Sovereignty added:
“Imagine even giving deadline to Covid 19 Fees…Governor Ifeanyi A. Okowa who did we offend in this state???
Your excellency Sir, in your last meeting with student leaders, you said you will discuss with the management of State owned Tertiary Institutions on the way forward. Now students are being compelled to pay the Covid 19 Fees for facility upgrade with DEADLINE, we have not heard from you.

“What is the offense of Students in Delta State owned Tertiary Institutions??? Are we the cause of COVID 19??? Is it now the role of Students to upgrade Government owned institutions?

“Meanwhile in our school fees printout, there are fees already charged for Development Levy, Health Service, Medical Development Levy Maintenance levy etc… Paying COVID 19 FEES is another form of SARS. Students have not recovered from the pandemic. We need Palliatives not COVID 19 FEES.

Comr Oturu Sovereignty (Mc Sove) is the
Director of Programs & Niger Delta Affairs, NANS ZONE B