The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) have disclosed that the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE) in Delta State is being under-funded by the Federal Government.
The Zone B coordinator of NANS, Okereke Godson, declared this yesterday after a meeting with the Vice Chancellor, Professor Akii Ibhadode and other management staff.
The union accused the Federal Government of deliberately stunting the growth of the only petroleum varsity in the Niger Delta.
Godson said the visit was to show solidarity with students of the university, who are at the receiving end of the gross relegation by the Federal Government.
He disclosed that the FUPRE branch of the union, led by Ohanwe Emmanuel, had inundated NANS office with the rot in the varsity.
Read More: NUPENG tasks FG, National Assembly on takeoff grant for FUPRE in 2018 budget
The union leader promised to mobilise its members at NANS’ upcoming convention in Abuja, without violence, to ensure that the varsity is captured in the 2018 budget “by all means.”
Also on Monday, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) and its branch at the varsity, protested against the alleged marginalisation of the varsity.
They expressed concern that the Federal Government has refused to implement the financial provisions in the FUPRE Act, even though it was accented to in 2017.
The protesters argued that the FUPRE Act had not been implemented, despite that it was accented to a week before that of the North-East Development Commission Act, which budgetary provisions were captured in the 2018 budget to the tune of N45billion.
The FUPRE branch Chairman of NUPENG, Victor Owhofaraye, told journalists that the deliberate action was due to the varsity’s location, adding: “There had been various failed attempt in the past to relocate the university to Kaduna.”
The vice chancellor commended NANS for showing solidarity with the university, saying their struggle was for the good of the students.
Ibhadode lamented that the varsity had outlined laudable projects to embark on, but for the paucity of funds.
Source: The Guardian
