The Member representing Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency of Niger State in the House of Representatives, Saidu Musa Abdullahi has slammed the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Professor Abdullahi Bala over his justification of hike in fees for postgraduate students.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday signed by his Senior Legislative Aide, Dodo Mustapha Alhaji, he accused the VC of disregarding a resolution of the House of Representatives which urged him for a downward review of the fees being paid by Post Graduate students of the institution.
He said the refusal of the VC to heed to the House’s resolution was a dangerous trend which casts doubt on his ability to lead a 21st century institution under a democratic dispensation.
Abdullahi warned that no agency or institution of government is allowed to flout orders just to serve its own selfish ends and there will be far-reaching consequences as the erring institution will be sanctioned appropriately.
”It is not unusual for any individual or an institution to disagree with an order or a resolution of the legislature. Such disagreement can be vented through a robust explanation, where possible, or other accepted civilized means.
“But to resort to ego trip and throwing tantrums at members of the National Assembly as Prof. Bala has been using the national dailies to achieve, is a dangerous trend that can make a mess of rules compliance which is a veritable ingredient of a democracy,” the statement said.
The lawmaker maintained that, there was no justification to impose N200,000 as fees on hapless children of the poor masses who are desirous of furthering education at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, when students pursuing similar programmes in other institutions in the Northern parts of the country are paying less.