Nigerian students from the South-West zone of the National Association of University Students threaten to embark on protest if the Federal Government fails to reverse the hike in telecommunication tariffs.
The student body made this call in a press conference held on Thursday in Lagos. They said that the country would witness the mobilisation of learners against the hike if the government and other stakeholders failed to address the issue.
There are other critical issues which they called on government to look into. Some of these issues include incessant strikes, rising insecurity on campuses, unstable power supply, etc.
Tiamiyu Olayinka, NAUS National Vice President (South-West) who signed the statement, stated that it is necessary to reverse telecommunication tariffs, as students largely depend on the internet for most academic research and learning.
He said: “students across campuses depend on affordable internet access to attend virtual lectures, conduct research, submit assignments, and participate in online discussions.
“By increasing telecom tariffs, these critical academic engagements are being disrupted. We call on relevant authorities to act swiftly and responsibly to address pressing concerns.
“Failure to meet up with our demands will leave us with no choice than to mobilize students across South-West and take a bold step to defend our rights and secure a better academic environment for all.”