University of Liberia Students Disrupt Capitol Over New Fees

University of Liberia Protesting Student

Students of the state run University of Liberia on Thursday, September 3, nearly disrupted the plenaries of both chambers of the Liberian Senate and the House of Representatives when they trooped into the Capitol Building, chanting variety of slogans.

The students who had gone to ask the lawmakers to prevail on the university's authorities not to go ahead with their planned increase of fees from the current US$75 requirement per course to US$5.00 per credit; totaling US$90 per course, were seen running around the building, threatening the lawmakers from conducting any business come next week Tuesday.

Although the legislature already adjoined just few minutes before the students' arrival,some of the lawmakers were constrained to depart the building because of the overwhelming disturbances they had subjected to the building to.

The group's spokesman, Alvin Wesseh told legislative reporters that, they were blaming the lawmakers for what they called the UL's unwarranted increase in fees because of lack of concern on the part of the lawmakers for their plight because their children are not attending schools in Liberia.

According to him, the UL authorities were planning the increase at the time when they could not afford the present US$75 the administration is seeking to increase.

Wesseh argued that the lawmakers were insensitive to the increase because they were making fabulous salaries, warning that failure on the lawmakers' part to halt the planned increase will undoubtedly ferment chaos that will lead to disrupting holding of any sessions next week Tuesday.

Not only will they disrupt the lawmakers' activities, Wesseh said, all other functions of government will include the barricading of President Sirleaf's present Foreign Ministry's office.

However, senior police officers who later arrived on the grounds of the Capitol Building described the students' plan as mere joke as they will decisively deal with anyone attempting to disrupt the peace of the country.

The students later left the Capitol's premises after they got tip-off that the police senior officers were on the way to the Building to ascertain whether they were actually causing disruption at the Capitol.