FESSU Condemns Ekiti State Lawmakers’ Planned Canada Trip, Demands Reforms in Education Sector

The Federation of Ekiti State Students' Union (FESSU) has criticized the planned trip to Canada by members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, describing it as a misplaced priority. During a press conference held in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, FESSU’s National President, Benjamin Adekunle Onileowo, voiced the Union’s concerns about the "ill-conceived" trip and urged lawmakers to redirect the funds to address pressing issues within their constituencies.

The proposed trip, expected to cost over N250 million, includes 18 lawmakers, 5 spouses, and 4 aides. FESSU highlighted the need to instead allocate this budget to educational support, noting that the amount could fund a N50,000 bursary for over 5,000 students in Ekiti State.

“It must be stated emphatically that we consider the said self-sponsored Canada trip planned by the Ekiti State House of Assembly as ill-conceived. This is not the time for such an endeavour, especially when the state requires the support of every stakeholder to address pressing issues affecting the livelihood of the common man and to salvage our education sector,” Onileowo stated.

FESSU also called for the immediate reversal of a N280,000 hostel charge imposed on students of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, College of Nursing Sciences, Ado-Ekiti, labeling it exorbitant. The Union recommended that no student should be required to pay more than N100,000 for hostel accommodation and urged the government to reduce school fees for both new and continuing students.

The Union further addressed additional challenges affecting students across Ekiti State-owned institutions. FESSU outlined specific demands, including improved funding for the Ekiti State College of Health Technology, Ijero-Ekiti, to allow its upgrade to Polytechnic status and to support essential renovations of school hostels, the construction of an ICT center, a health clinic, and laboratories.

In regards to Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science, and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti, FESSU advocated for better transportation within the campus through the use of tricycles, addressing high housing costs, and constructing intra-campus road networks. Additionally, the Union called for an improvement in power supply, recommending that state-owned institutions be connected to an Independent Power Project Supply (IPPS) to alleviate the challenges posed by erratic electricity.

While FESSU acknowledged the education-focused projects undertaken by the Ekiti State Government under Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, it urged swift action to improve learning conditions in state-owned institutions, advocating for affordable education that benefits students, most of whom are indigenes of Ekiti State.