UNIBEN Senate Okays Removal Of N20,000 Late Registration Fee

The Senate of the University of Benin has approved the removal of N20,000 late registration fee that led to a two-day mass protest by students of the institution.

Mr Ademola Bobola, Registrar of the University, announced the removal in a statement issued on Thursday night in Benin.

Bobola noted that the senate, at a virtual meeting, ratified the earlier verbal pronouncement by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lilian Salami.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Salami was said to have verbally withdrawn the charge on Wednesday when the protesting students reportedly stormed her lodge and forced her to trek a long distance to the school main gate.

The registrar said that the senate, at the second meeting within 24 hours, also approved the decision that money already paid by defaulting students be refunded via modalities to be worked out by the Bursary Department.

“Consequently, lectures are to resume on Monday, Sept. 20, to enable students who obeyed the directive on school closure and travelled, to return.

“The University’s decision-making body also agreed that a new time-line be set for the payment of the school charges for the 2020/2021 Academic Session.

“It also directed that the re-activation of charges for Postgraduate Programmes be sent to the Board of Postgraduate School for review,” he said.

Bobola explained that while the senate reiterated that penalty for late payment of school charges, which has been in existence for years in the university should not be set aside, it, however, called for its modification.

According to him, the senate moved a vote of confidence on the University’s Management and praised the vice-chancellor for her wisdom, courage and magnanimity in acceding to the reason for the students’ protest.