Ondo Students Protest Non-Payment of Bursary, Scholarship Award

Ondo Students Protest Non-Payment of Bursary, Scholarship Award:

The popular Oba Adesida road was turned to a football playing field while other group of the students have made firewood and cooking pots on the road.

The National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS) yesterday, staged a peaceful protest against the non-payment of their Bursary and scholarship award by the state government.

The students who barricaded the popular Oba-Adesida road lamented the insensitivity of the state government on issues and welfare of the student.

They said several meetings and consultations had been held with the state governor but no action has been taken so far.
The student body vowed not to leave the road until their money is paid or the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko personally come down to address them.

The Students in their hundred littered the popular and ever busy Oba Adesida road, armed with placard with the inscriptions, ” Bursary is our right”, “All we want is our Bursary” and chanting various solidarity songs.

Addressing reporters, NAOSS National President, Comrade Awodola Afolayan said they were mainly protesting the non-payment of their bursary and scholarship award.

“The main reason for this protest is that Mr. Governor has refused to pay us our bursary and scholarship award for 2012/2013 which is due for August last year and it has not been paid up till this time” Afolayan said.

The Students’ leader called on the good people of the state to appeal to the state governor to pay their money.

“We are imploring the people of the state to appeal to Mr. Governor to pay our money as a matter of urgency” the president said.

“The students are demanding that the bursary and scholarship be paid instantly, saying it is their right which should not be delayed.”

Also speaking on behalf of the student populace, the NAOSS President of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) Adeyemi Olaleye said they will not give up, stressing that the state government had been warned ahead of the protest.

He said the students paid the sum of seven hundred and fifty naira each to the scholarship board to obtain the form for both bursary and scholarship awards.

He condemned the state government’s inability to pay the money, saying the government has been spending money on frivolous and unimportant activities.

Olaleye said the protest will continue until the state government listen to the voice of the students and pay their money, stressing that the protest will continue.

The popular Oba Adesida road was turned to a football playing field while other group of the students have made firewood and cooking pots on the road.

The presence of men of the Nigeria Army did not change the minds of the students as they discuss issues amicably with the military men before they peacefully left the scene.

All efforts to speak with the chairman of the Ondo State scholarship board, Mr. Dayo Awude proved abortive as he did not pick up calls.