Speaking against the background of criticisms following the hike in fees at the Lagos State University, LASU and the tolling of the Lekki –Epe highway, Governor Fashola said yesterday that even as he would have loved to reduce the tolls his hands were tied by the contracts with LCC.
The governor particularly expressed his personal hurt over misleading news reports that a man was killed in the course of the protest against the tolling of the Lekki-Epe road saying that as a defender of human rights, that he could not turn to brutal tactics to silence opposition to his policies.
The criticisms against the administration followed the recent hike in school fees at LASU from N25,000 to N200,000 and the violent protests that accompanied the collection of tolls on the Lagos – Epe expressway.
He said that as a succour to the poor, the administration had proposed more than N700 million in scholarships next year to enable children of the poor compete favourably with the rich in LASU.
“What I owe the children of the poor is to give them an opportunity to as much as possible compete with my own children,” the governor said yesterday in the course of an interactive session.
“How many of the elite of the society who are championing the cause of the poor have their own children in that school? It might be popular to leave it at N25,000 but is it right?” he asked.
“I believe that we would do a major damage if we end up having a university where only the children of the poor want to go there. It will break up the society one day. It will limit the chances of the children one day,” adding that the products of the school would not compete favaourably with the children of the elite schooled in private and foreign universities. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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We must put fear of God into whatever we are doing. Unless we want to deceive ourselves we will say N25000 is ok for a year in the University. At the same time, N200,000 is on the high side. If we really want to educate our children, we must be ready to follow what our fathers did to educate us.
ReplyDeleteMost of the people saying this money is too much will do everything possible to throw parties for burial, wedding and even naming ceremonies.
As for the collection of tolls on the Lagos – Epe expressway, I can't say much on this because i do not know what hardship people used to face before this project.
The only thing i know is that many people appreciate what Fashola's administration is doing. Let us support this man and allow him continues the good job he is doing as long as there is transparency.
Nigerians must understand that services provided by governments requires funding. You either pay now in a form of tax or pay later in deteriorating conditions that most services were before the immediate past and the present Lagos Administration, for instance, assumed control of the State.
ReplyDeleteFor tertiary education, quality and appropriately relevant infrastructures must be provided and maintained, securing good and brilliant lecturers, and providing high quality education to cement the future growth of our Nation requires continuous funding. Most already paid for pre-tertiary education anyway.
Yes, our Nation had and is still being looted by rogues and pen-armed robbers parading as political and civil service leaders! But should we succumb to their plan to continue to rule us by not ensuring we and our children can equally compete with their children by His grace one day? I say 'no'!!
We should learn to cut back on our 'owambe' and 'karimi' lifestyles to save a little more to provide better education for our children. Our future lies in our HANDS. Education of our children should come first before commitments to 'aso ebi' and 'toku' of those who had been dead - some even before we're born!!!