On Tuesday, September 30, scores of disgruntled Students of the University of Bamenda, UBa, took to the streets of Bambili, obstructing traffic because their names never featured on the list of those to benefit from President Paul Biya’s FCFA 50,000 annual bursary award.
The students blamed the UBa authorities for what they saw as their awful plight, insisting to go ahead with the strike until Mr. Biya heeds to their demands.
The Vice Chancellor, VC, of UBa, Prof. Edward Oki Edokat, pleaded with the students to present their grievances to him, assuring them that the Minister of Higher Education would be briefed accordingly. He told the students that it is not the authorities of UBa that decide on who receives Presidential grants nor how the money is shared.
The VC and the Divisional Officer for Tubah, Mr. Alim Garga, jointly persuaded the students to retire home and give peace a chance adding that “every problem has a solution and violence or strikes cannot be the best option to resolving them because no University will thrive in a turbulent atmosphere”.
After listening to the VC and the SDO, the students dispersed, hoping of course, that their grievances would be channeled to Biya as promised. Activities have resumed in Bambili, the hub centre of learning in the Northwest Region.
