Ondo 2020: Tuition fees rock Akeredolu, Jegede debate

Tuition fees of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba topped talks in the governorship election debate between candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Eyitayo Jegede and Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Jegede had promised to reduce the tuition fees, which he said had made many students drop out of school.

But Governor Akeredolu insisted at the debate that the state could not reduce the tuition fees paid in the institution.

Akeredolu said he was not prepared to reduce the tuition if the student were to be given quality education.

He said the state was biting more than it could chew by having three state universities.

The Ondo Governor wondered why the focus was on the state university when the University of Medical Sciences charged as much as N400, 000 before he came to office.

He explained the tuition increment was reached in agreement with the students who he said have been paying the fees.

According to him: “The state cannot reduce tuition fees. I am not prepared to do it. Students should have proper education. That is why Adejunke Ajasin university is the best state university in the country.”

On revenue generation, Akeredolu said he increased the State IGR from N700m monthly to over N2bn monthly adding he expanded the tax net to capture more tax payers.

He said the state has a mechanism that was working well but Jegede promised to charge what he termed reasonable taxes was well as block leakages.

Speaking on social welfare in the state, Jegede said he would ensure prompt payment of pension and electricity to the southern part of the state but Akeredolu said he paid pension arrears owed by previous administration.

According to Jegede: “Mimiko and I didn’t belong to the same political party. We have a clear vision in education, health. We want people to attend university without paying high fee. I have fresh idea about agric, health, education and sport.”

Akeredolu said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) could verify his investment in cocoa production by cultivating 8000 hectares of land for cocoa production as well as providing seedlings for farmers but Jegede stated that he was yet to see improvement in cocoa production.

On Amotekun, Akeredolu promised to spend more money to boost its operations saying the security outfit was working well adding that robbery incidences in the State have reduced.