Students who hail from Lagos State have lamented over the non-payment of their 2016-2017 bursary and scholarship dues by the state government.
The students, who gave seven days’ ultimatum to the Lagos State Government to release their bursary, threatened to embark on protest if they are not paid.
This was contained in a press statement made available to our correspondent on Monday.
The statement was jointly signed by the President of the National Union of the Lagos State Students, Daniju Sultan; and Lagos axis Chairman of National Association of Nigerian Students, Moses Adewale.
The students complained that the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has not released bursary since it resumed office until students embark on a protest.
The statement read in part, “Our bursary is our right. We want the Lagos State Government to release the payment of the 2016-2017 bursary and scholarship dues for Lagosians schooling all over the federation.
“We are compelled to notify you of our resolution to hit the streets of Lagos and cause peaceful civil disobedience in protest of non-payment of our bursary and scholarship dues for all Lagos State indigenes schooling across the federation in various higher institutions.
“Our resolve to protest after the seven-day ultimatum is not unconnected to the silence of the state government to communicate to us when the payment will be made available to beneficiaries.
“We are also embarrassed by the indisputable fact that since the inception of this administration, we have never received our bursary and scholarship dues without having to protest across the state.
“We are sad that, as of December 2016, N650m was approved for education by the State House of Assembly as part of the Jubilee Budget as presented by Governor Ambode, but 12 months on, the state still finds it difficult to pay students’ bursary even when the 2017 fiscal year is drawing to an end.”
When contacted on the telephone, the Lagos State Special Adviser on Education, Obafela Bank-Olemoh, confirmed that the state was owing a year’s outstanding bursary.
He said the process to ensure that the students were paid before the end of December was ongoing.
He said, “The bursary board has been meeting with the students. We are committed to education and we will pay them before the end of this month.
“Their bursary has been approved by the governor. The process has begun, to ensure that we get the students paid this year.