By Oludamisi Ojo
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)on Tuesday decried the ongoing nationwide strike embarked on by the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), describing it as tantamount to students paying for offenses they didn’t commit. The association said the non-payment of some allowances to academic staff and lack of facilities in the nation’s universities were caused by the government.
Speaking with reporters on the telephone in Ado Ekiti, NANS, through its Chairman, Com Sunday Asefon, said Nigerian students are ready for a serious fight to rescue the country’s ivory towers from total collapse. He expressed displeasure at how ASUU used to embark on strike at every slightest opportunity.
The Student leader urged them to be more patriotic and think of the country’s future in dealing with any matter relating to their welfare. His words “We have resolved to act decisively and fight hard to rescue our future and the tertiary education system, which is our major concern from total collapse.
“Nigerian students can’t continue to pay for sins they never committed, as we are paying for our education, we strongly believe we deserve the best. We passed through pains to pay for education, but what do we get in return? It is a strike all the way.
” At the end of every industrial action, ASUU members are paid their salaries, likewise government officials in charge of education supervision get their entitlements.
“It’s only Nigerian students that get nothing, but waste everything The house rent is non – refundable, the age count is irreversible. The extension of stay on campus didn’t only affect our academic journey but would destabilize our plans.
“Many of our graduates will miss NYSC mobilization due to age limit, many will lose job opportunities arising from age factors, while many became exposed to risks and crimes, following the avoidable idleness mode the strike action imposed on Nigerian students.
Nigeria has resources to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines – PPFN
“To act against these numerous consequences of strike action on Nigerian students academic journey. He directed the immediate commencement of planning and mass mobilization of Nigerian students and comrades across the 36 states of the federation and FCT in line with congress decision”.
Asefon added that part of the fight to be intensified is the blockage of all major federal roads in all the 36 states of the Federation to prevent the free flow of vehicles .
The NANS’ leaders stated that the National Secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, would be blocked by the body to send a signal that students are no longer comfortable with the laxity being experienced in the education sector. Asefon said their strategies and threats would be implemented if ASUU and FG fails to reach compromise and get the campuses reopened on or before February 28, 2022.
