A group of Graduates from the Enugu state University of Science and Technology, Enugu has expressed their discomfiture towards the compulsory payment imposed on them, before the collection of their Original Certificates.

They disclosed this in an open letter presented to the media on Wednesday.

The letter was addressed to the Executive Governor of Enugu state, His Excellency, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the caption also read, “RE: A CALL FOR URGENT INTERVENTION ON THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT IN ENUGU STATE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. (ESUT)”.

According to the letter, UGAMATV correspondents gathered that the Afore mentioned institution recently released a memo, that prompted the graduates to come for their Original Certificates, within a short period of one month.

However, they ought to pay a total sum of Forty Thousand Naira,(#40,000), When split, they are to pay N20,000 for certificate collection, N10,000 for convocation fee and N10,000 for hiring of Convocation gown respectively. Also, any case of late payment, attracts a fine of ten thousand Naira(#10,000).

Continuing, The graduands stated that they are mainly Ex-corp members who
Freshly passed out of the National Youth service Corps, as such most of them are currently unemployed, hence, they can not afford to make such exorbitant payments, even after fulfilling all the financial and academic requirements to be graduates of the Institution.

Subsequently, they enjoined the Government of Enugu State, under the leadership of Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to intervene. Possibly, He should cause the total exclusion these payments from the process of Certificate collection in the school.

The letter thus reads:

OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ENUGU STATE

The Enugu State Government House,
His Excellency Rt. Hon. Dr. Lawrence Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Gburugburu),
The Executive Governor of Enugu State,
Nigeria.

15th July, 2020

Your Excellency Sir,

RE: A CALL FOR URGENT INTERVENTION ON THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT IN ENUGU STATE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. (ESUT)

The current situation in the above mention University has made us to direct this open letter to you via social
media as this platform has proven to be an effective medium of engaging your government for the purpose of good governance and we are doing this because we know that posterity will judge all of us (especially the youths) if we do not engage the government in the best way we can as great citizens of this Country.

Your Excellency, the management of Enugu State University of Science and Technology recently released a memo dated the 8th of July, 2020, Titled: COLLECTION OF UNCLAIMED ESUT CERTIFICATES, which was signed by Barr. T M IKPENWA, the Ag. Registrar ESUT with no amount stipulated on the memo as the collection fees. The collection fee for Bachelor’s degree holders was confirmed to be broken down into N20,000 for certificate collection, N10,000 for convocation fee and N10,000 for hiring of Convocation gown, which summed up to N40,000 we must pay before collecting our certificate and a deadline of one month from the date of publication was given, which failure to pay the money within the stipulated time will attract a penalty of N10,000. 

Your Excellency Sir, we want to bring to your notice that the university did not conduct convocation for us and now we are being forced to pay a convocation fee we never did. We also do not find this welcoming as it is disheartening that after successfully paying all the dues as students, graduated, went for the compulsory National Youth Service and are yet to be employed, we are  being forced to pay an additional unjustiable fees in order to collect our hard earn certificate within an unfriendly timeline amidst these global challenges and Economic recession that the covid-19 pandemic has posed on humanity. We therefore  plead with you to intervene in this issue and save us from this gruesome extortion and injustice. We do not understand why we should be asked to pay to collect our certificate when we have paid all our dues while in school, and even if we have to pay, why will it be this huge amount? We have no doubt in our heart that as an empathetic, considerate, people oriented and peace loving Governor who have demonstrated great concerns on the affairs of the State’s citizens, you will address the issue urgently.

Long Live Your Excellency,
Long live Enugu State
Enugu state is in the hands of God.
From concerned graduates of ESUT.