The Student Union Government (SUG) of Abia State University, in agreement with landlords and caretakers of private lodges in the school have agreed to slash accommodation fees for students of the institution.
The development was announced over the weekend, in a press release made available to News Echo in Umuahia, on Sunday and signed by the SUG president of ABSU, Comrade Nwakanma John.
According to the release, the decision to slash the fees was reached after series of meetings between the SUG leadership, landlords, caretakers and presidents of private lodges in the school.
The release said, “This is to notify the various lodge owners, students and the general public that after series of meetings between the SUG/SRC, students, caretakers and presidents of the lodges, the council has agreed that 20 per cent is hereby deducted from the lodge rent for the year 2021.”
The statement contained, ” That is, a student paying N200, 000, to pay N160, 000, a student paying N150, 000 to pay N120, 000. N100, 000 to pay N80, 000, N60, 000 to pay N48,000 and so on.”
The release further advised students to commence payment to their various lodges from Monday, 25th January 2021 and present evidence of payment on arrival while also directing all benefiting students, landlords, caretakers and other stakeholders to adhere strictly to the agreement in the interest of peace.
The slash in lodge frees, it was learned , was agreed to cushion the economic hardship being faced by the students, occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession in Nigeria.