Piqued by the decision of the Management of the Confluence University of Science and Technology CUSTEC, Osara, that new intakes should present parents tax clearance before they attend classes, parents and guardians have called on the state government to prevail on the management to rescind the order immediately.

The parents argued that the arbitrary decision of the Kogi State Government has sparked outrage in the state with parents, Human Rights activists and concerned educationists kicking against the policy.

This new policy is seen as “wicked, ungodly and an infamous act aimed at denying students of poor backgrounds, orphans and those struggling to train themselves the universal right of going to school and a clear negation of what Governor Usman Ododo professed when he was sworn in last year when he said’ the poor must be allowed to breathe”

The state government had in late November last year issued a memo from the chairman of the Board of Internal Revenue Services, Sule Enehe, to schools in the state not to allow students who failed to present a verifiable tax clearance certificate from their parents to continue their education in the state.

Reacting to the controversial policy, a Kogi-based legal practitioner and rights activist, Arome Odoma, has issued A Pre-Action Notice Against Kogi State’s Policy on Parental Tax Clearance for Student Registration: A Fight for Educational Justice

Odoma who is challenging the legality of the policy, in a pre-action notice addressed to the governor of the state, Ahmed Usman Ododo, and the chairman of the Board of Internal Revenue Service, laid bare the policy’s flaws, branding it “repugnant to natural justice, equity, and good conscience.”

A copy of the notice which was made available to newsmen in Lokoja yesterday read in parts:

“I read a memo from the office of the Chairman Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue Service dated the 26th of November 2024 mandating institutions of learning not to register any student without a verifiable parent’s tax clearance certificate.

“This policy is not only repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience but also an attempt to deprive the future leaders their right to education.

“The chairman of the board should take note that education is not a privilege but a right, it then goes to say that education is legally guaranteed for all without discrimination.

“All states including Kogi State has the duty to protect, respect and fulfill the right of education of her citizens without discrimination.

“This policy is purely incongruous to the people’s right to education and we will hold the State accountable for violation and deprivation of our people’s right to education.

“How does it concern an innocent child/Student whose duty is not to enforce tax payment to suffer from non-compliance of his parent to pay tax to Kogi State Government. We should also take note that we were once children of no body before we became somebody.

“Our quest to satisfy the financial urge of the government should not deprive the citizens of their fundamental rights especially that of education which is not freely given.

“I have seen some students without parents or guardians struggling to sponsor themselves with hard labour. Some of our governors and senators in Nigeria didn’t grow with parental support but via being determined and focused to achieve education.

“I know the current governor of Kogi State, the person of Alhaji Usman Ododo, his style of leadership to the best of my knowledge is not in conformity with this obnoxious policy made in violation of people’s right to education and I am of a strong view that the said policy be reversed.