By; Odeyemi Samuel, Akure.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ondo state has condemned the levy imposed on students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Akoko (AAUA), describing it as another admission process.
A statement issued by the Director of Media and Publicity of the party, Mr. Steve Otaloro said, the twenty five thousand Naira reparation levy said to had been imposed on the students of AAUA is a coverup on the part of the state government.
This is to divert the attention of the public from its negligence to provide adequate healthcare facilities at the University and Akungba Communities that could have saved the life of the student that was hit in the unfortunate fatal accident that led to the closure of the institution after students went on rampage.
This levy, Otaloro said, is uncalled for at this time when government is owing most of the parents of these students five months salaries, adding that where does the government expect them to get such money from at this tough time in the state where workers are moaning and groaning in poverty?
According to him, the APC condemned ”the outrageous levy and see it as a clandestine move by the Governor Olusegun Mimiko-led administration to generate funds to make up for his misappropriation of the state resources”.
“The APC in Ondo State therefore enjoined every citizen to rise up against this levy at this time when most parents are continuously finding it difficult to live a decent lifestyle and be able to feed their families properly any longer” he said
Otaloro expressed the view that government is desperate and bent on taxing anything taxable including “the air we breath if possible to raise money to salvage the debt-ridden administration”.
This financial reparation demanded by the government from students of the University before re entering into the University, and the call for it to be paid up within few days is rather laughable because if anyone has to make financial reparation at all to the family of the deceased, it has to be the government that refuses to do the needful by providing adequate Medicare at the university.
“We (APC) condole with the parents of the deceased student, Afolabi Ojo, of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko. May the good Lord comfort them and grant them fortitude to bear this irreparable loss” Otaloro said.
