The University of Port Harcourt has refuted claims of imposing a clearance fee of N649,400 on final-year students. In response to an article circulating on an online media platform, the university has declared the information to be inaccurate.
Dr. Sam Kpenu, Head of Information, Publications, and Public Relations at UNIPORT, addressed the issue in a statement titled “Rebuttal to False Report on Clearance Fees for Final-Year Students,” distributed in Port Harcourt and to the press on Wednesday.
Kpenu emphasized that UNIPORT maintains some of the most competitive school fees among federal universities in the nation. Additionally, the university provides scholarships to assist students encountering financial difficulties during their academic pursuits.
Furthermore, Kpenu confirmed that the university routinely extends deadlines for fee payments to give students adequate time to manage their finances. He explicitly dismissed the purported 'medical clearance' or 'admissibility fees' as asserted in the report.
The statement reads, “The attention of the authorities of the University of Port Harcourt has been drawn to an online report by Sahara Reporters alleging that final-year students at the University of Port Harcourt are required to pay N649,400 as clearance fees.
“We wish to state categorically that the information is entirely false.
“UNIPORT is dedicated to providing affordable and accessible higher education. Our institution charges some of the lowest school fees compared to other federal universities in Nigeria. We also offer various scholarships to support students who encounter financial difficulties and cannot cover their school charges.
“Moreover, we provide extended deadlines for fee payments to give students adequate time to arrange their finances
“We encourage students and the public to rely only on official communications from the University of Port Harcourt for accurate information regarding fees and financial matters.
“The information presented by Sahara Reporters is entirely false and misleading. There is no such thing as medical clearance or admissibility fees as alleged in the fake report. We urge the media to always verify their stories before publication.”