Ekiti students slam Fayose for ‘wasting millions on Women’s Day’ celebration

Students in Ekiti State have criticized Governor Ayo Fayose for the alleged non-challant attitude of his administration towards the welfare of students.

Acting under the aegis of the Association of Ekiti State Local Government Students’ Union Presidents (AELOGSUP), they condemned the governor for allegedly “spending hundreds of millions of Naira” on the last International Women’s Day held in the state.

They said it was wrong for the governor to give out not less than N200 million to women in a bid to woo them ahead of the July 14 governorship election at a time when state-owned tertiary institutions were shut over strikes triggered by non-payment of staff.

In an open letter addressed to the governor, a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Sunday, they said the best way for Fayose to show love to the women was to pay lecturers of the state-owned institutions for their children to return to school.

The letter was signed by Ojo Oluwole Samuel, (President), Adetifa Emmanuel Akinwale (General Secretary) and Oliwayemi Olamilekan (Public Relations Officer).

Among their demands are immediate reopening of the state-owned higher institutions shut down by indefinite workers strike in the last three months and recognition of all student union bodies on the State.

They also demanded payment of bursary and scholarship that have been held up for the past three years of the Fayose regime.

The students equally demanded regular payment of workers’ salaries and pensioners’ allowances.

The statement added: “The Government of the day which claims to love the women in the society is a mere joke, permit me to say.

“Ekiti State, known as “Fountain of Knowledge, doesn’t have students welfarism in the present administration of the state.

“It is sad that the Governor doesn’t show much concern about the ongoing strike actions among our higher institutions in the state.

“Students (male and female) are now on the streets in their various communities causing chaos, hustling in all sort of wrong manners.

“Unpaid of worker’s salaries has become the order of the day, yet Governor Fayose claims to love the masses.”