Members of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO) in Ondo State, have visited the National Assembly to observe proceedings in the Senate and House of Representatives chambers.
The objectives, the union said, are to expose members of its legislative arm to best practices in legislative business to improve participation in union affairs.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, recognised the students during the plenary. But, the students were not allowed into the Red Chamber, because of an emergency adjournment by senators.
The Speaker of the union, Femi Omogunwa, said part of the reasons for the visit was to discuss contemporary challenges of students. He said education was losing steam in the face of dwindling allocation. The students urged the National Assembly to increase budgetary allocation to education, calling for 35 per cent appropriation of national budget.
Femi said improved funding for education would bring an end to the current problems being experienced in the sector, adding that perennial strike by staff unions in tertiary institutions would stop.
The students called for national legislation that would prevent authorities of tertiary institutions from victimising students who called for improved welfare, a development, they said, was becoming a norm in public-owned schools.
The students also visited some lawmakers from Ondo Sate, including Hon. Mike Omogbehin, who is representing Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency, Hon. Joseph Akinlaja, representing Ondo West/East Federal Constituency, and Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin, representing Ileoluji/Odigbi Federal Constituency.
Addressing the students’ delegation, Omogbehin advised them to leverage the recently-enacted Not-Too-Young-To Run Law to participate in politics, adding that the youth must demonstrate their readiness to wrestle power from the old people.
He said: “If all eligible young people would support a youth to contest for any public office, young people would surely be represented in the highest decision-making body of the country. But, some youths still prefer to collect money from old politicians and betray their fellow youths seeking public office. If the youth can come together and speak in one voice, the efforts they invest in pushing the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill would not have been wasted.”
On his own part, Hon. Akinlaja advised the students to take their studies seriously and add values to the society through their conduct and values.
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