President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the provision of buses to student bodies of all universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country.
A statement by Dele Alake, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communication, and Strategy on Monday, noted that the action was in furtherance of Tinubu’s desire to ease the burden of the fuel subsidy removal on students of higher institutions of learning.
The announcement comes amid the insistence by organised labour to stage a mass protest nationwide on August 2.
According to the Presidential spokesman, the president’s desire is to see that students can access their campuses without experiencing much difficulty as a result of the hike in transportation costs.
He explained that the provision of the buses will go a long way in removing the burden of the additional cost of daily commuting on parents and guardians.
The statement also added that President Tinubu has directed the removal of all restrictions on the student loan to make it available to any student or household that may desire it.
He said the new directive was in line with his promise to ensure no Nigerian student abandons his or her educational pursuits as a result of lack of money and the economic circumstances of their parents.
Alake equally revealed that Tinubu has directed the authorities in all Federal Institutions of higher learning to avoid arbitrary increase in sundry fees payable and where possible defer further increase so that parents and students don’t face too many difficulties.
“While it is important to reiterate that President Tinubu has directed the release of over 200,000 Metric Tonnes of grains to families in 36 states and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the government is working to ensure that vulnerable students can also benefit from conditional cash transfers and food distribution.
“The Federal Government salutes the courage, wisdom and partnership of Nigerian Students as our country navigates this challenging time.
“President Tinubu will continue to prioritise education and the needs of the students, improve the welfare of teaching and non-academic staff and invest in infrastructure to make our institutions of higher learning become more globally competitive,” Alake said on behalf of the presidency.
