Association protest against multiple levies in Ogun State

ayodele johnson

June 23, 2016 5:45 PM

The leader of the protesting group, lamented about the government's decision to increase the levies paid by private school owners. He points it down to pure discrimination.

Protesters

The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Ogun State chapter, have organised a massive protest against multiple levies and charges, allegedly introduced by the state government.

The protest was held on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, at the Nigeria Union of Journalists secretariat, Oke Ilewo, Abeokuta.

According to the association, there has been a 150 per cent increase in the charges. It rose from a sum of N500 to N2,000.

In a bid to drive their point home, the protesters held placards with the inscriptions, “Don’t kill private schools with multiple levies, dues and charges,” “The economic downturn affects us and the parents too,” “Do not destroy our educational system by destroying private schools,” “Do not kill private schools with levies”.

Alhaji Rilwan Hassan, who is the president of the association, said there has been a discrimination between private and public schools in Ogun.

He explained that some efforts have been earlier made by the group, all to no avail.

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Stating the motive behind the protest, Hassan said, “We want the government to reverse its decision on fees for BECE, FSLC, signage, tenement rate, renewal fee and multiple taxes.

“We are assisting the government to employ workers in our schools and a lot of us are on loans. It is social service we are rendering.”

Explaining why there has been an increase in the levies, the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Modupe Mujota, said it was a necessary measure considering the economic situation in the country.

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