Ihie Ndume Indigenes Protest High Fees at Government College Umuahia, Urge Abia Assembly for Action

Indigenes of Ihie Ndume community in Umuahia staged a protest at the Abia State House of Assembly on Tuesday, demanding a significant reduction in school fees at Government College Umuahia (GCU).

The protesters, who gathered before the plenary session, decried the exorbitant fees, which they claim have made quality education inaccessible to children from low-income families.

Led by Nathaniel Nwoko, President of the Abia State chapter of the Common Man Assembly, the group alleged that GCU’s current management has transformed the public institution into a private-like entity, sidelining intelligent students from poor households.

They called for a fee reduction to enable broader enrollment and urged Governor Alex Otti to integrate the state government into the school’s management team to preserve its status as a public institution open to all, regardless of parental wealth.

Addressing the protesters, Okoro Uchenna Kalu, Chairman of the House Committee on Education, assured them that the issue was receiving urgent attention. He noted Governor Otti’s keen interest in resolving the matter and pledged that the Assembly would make appropriate recommendations.

Deputy Speaker Augustine Okezie, representing Umuahia East constituency where Ihie Ndume is located, appealed to the protesters to remain law-abiding, assuring them that the House would ensure justice. “The right thing will be done,” Okezie emphasized.

An indigene of Ubani-Emede Ibeku, Chukwudi Onwudinanti recently petitioned the Abia State House of Assembly alleging that Fisher Education Development Trust, FEDT, who manages Government College Umuahia jacked up the school fees to over N1 million annually and converted the school to a private institution, among other claims.