Waste Management/Accessories Fees: SUG Official Resigns Over N5,000 Levy On Students

By Daniel Dafe, Odima Favour

The Director of Information, Students Union Government, SUG, Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Comr. Great K. Odifili, has officially resigned his position over what he considers as the the illegal taxation of students by the union.

Odifili resigned on Thursday.

Recall that the SUG President, Comr. Caleb Ogagaoghene earlier this week imposed a levy of N5,000 on all students.

An internal memorandum in the institution from the Dean of Students, Professor Chukwujindu M. A. Iwegbue, sighted by Oasis Magazine shows a request to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Andy Egwunyenga, to approve a request for students to pay the waste management fees.

This follows a meeting between the Students’ Affairs Office and the Student Union Government of the institution.

The internal memorandum signed by Iwegbue, was titled, “Request for Approval for the Payment of Waste Management Fees by Students”,

Contained in the memorandum was the reason for such request:.

The Dean said: “Given the enormous amounts of waste generated by students and the entire university community, and associated cost of disposal, there is the need for effective management and disposal of these wastes in order to maintain a cleaner and sustainable environment.”

The Students’ Affairs Office and SUG agreed in their meeting that students are to pay #2,000.00 per session as Waste Management Fee;  Also,, every student will pay #3,000 per session as SUG Accessories Fee.

The memo said the Waste Management Fees will be kept in the University’s special account solely dedicated for that purpose.

If the move sails through, the payment will be made by students during screening, result verification, ID validation, clearance, processing of hostel accommodation, registration at faculty and departmental levels, and others.

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Oasis Magazine learnt that the Waste Management Fee will be paid once per session, and receipts issued will be tendered at selected points as evidence.

Odifili in his resignation letter, said the SUG president took such a critical decision without informing other members of the executive, saying that the 29th Assembly of the Union has become opposite of all it stood for.

“The troubling feedback and reactions from our dear students have infected me with a growing psychological trauma that will not be good for my academic activities,” he added.

Many have described the move as an illegal taxation and extortion by the Union.

At the time of filing this report, the VC was yet to approve the request made by the office of the Students’ Affairs