Peeved by almost two-month old strike by the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU), the National Association of Nigerian Students
(NANS), yesterday issued a one-week ultimatum to the Federal
Government and the union's leadership to resolve their differences or
face serious consequences.
The students said if the impasse was not resolved within the next
seven days, it will mobilise students on a nation-wide riot in what it
described as 'operation occupy Nigeria'.
The students' body appealed to ASUU to return to the classroom and
continue negotiation with the Federal Government since the latter
claimed to have released over N100billion for infrastructural
development and another N30 billionfor allowances.
This was the highpoint of a protest by the students who blocked the
Asaba end of the River Niger Bridge to press home their demands. The
protest caused traffic snarl for several hours as the students stalled
movements to the eastern part of the country even as those returning
were barred.
NANS coordinator in the South-South and South-East, Comrade Chinonso
Obasi, stated that students were at the receiving end of the strike
and vowed that they would take their destinies in their own hands if
the parties failed to reconcile within a week.
"We are appealing to ASUU that since the Federal Government has been
able to release N100 billion for infrastructural development and N30
billion for allowance, they should go back to classroom and continue
their negotiation or agitation. This is our prayer and wish.
"We are giving them one week to open the schools or be ready to face
corrosive consequences in form of nation-wide demonstration and riots.
We are ready to mobilise for that andit will beoperation
occupyNigeria," he said.
Lamenting the effect of the strike, Obasi said students have become
prone to accidents on the highways and the female students have been
reduced to sex hawkers on the streets.
His words: "I stand to tell you that a lot of accidents have
beenrecorded and 99.9% of the victims are Nigerian students. If
theywere in classrooms, they would not have fallen victims of
roadcrashes.
"Our female students have become commercial sex hawkers on the streets
in order to make ends meet. This colossal effect is more than what
ASUU is agitating for. Hence, we can no longer fold our arms and watch
things go wrong."
What Is different with this NANS and our student union we all complain about? Who did dey consult before coming out wit such cynical decision?? Asking dat d strike be called off isn't d problem bt v dey realized dat dey will one day be lecturers and if this isn't settled not they will be the ones to suffer? Many questions to be asked... What they should be calling is for the immediate resignation of the Minister of education and d secretary to the govt of the federation. That's what civilized countries do.
ReplyDeleteNans we re solidly behind u,enof is enof
ReplyDelete@Stanley u re tlking trash,Nans we re solidly behind u,enof is enof
ReplyDelete@ anonymous I dnt talk rash as an educationist. If uve been following d news u would hear d nonsense d minister and secretary ve been saying. If I will agree dat d strike should be called off den I also pray ull becomea lecturer one day and both ur salary and allowances will not b paid. Amen. Do u realize dat we live in a country where the thieves move around as chiefs??? How sure are u dat d fed govt isn't sponsoring NANs to do dat? Who told u dere is no money to pay wen a graduates minimum wage is 15k and dat of a militant is 75k. Go n read history and dnt argue pointless with ur teacher.
ReplyDeleteStanley u don't have to reply fools wen dey speak. Only d wise care to think b4 dey talk. NANS is jst blabbing with heavy prints of d FG on dia speech. Dat NANS official needs to be seriously questioned or penalised for betraying d educational sector for which he was supposed to stand. ASUU has only been on strike for 2 months, bt FG has been on strike since dey signed dat agreement in 2009! If anybody is supposed to call-off, den it's FEDERAL GOVERNMENT!
ReplyDelete