National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has directed its states and zonal structures to mobilise students against the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
NANS President, Sunday Asefon, in a statement in Abuja, accused the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, of not living up to his responsibilities, hence the decision of ASUU to withdraw services nationwide. He warned that students would invade and disrupt official activities in his office in Abuja until the strike is resolved.
He expressed disappointment over the decision of ASUU members to declare a nationwide strike over the failure of the government to implement the agreement it reached with the Union.
Part of the statement read: “We thought that ASUU and Federal Government officials would have allowed reasons to prevail, reach a compromise, act responsibly in the interest of the education sector and indeed Nigeria, to do all that is required to responsibly avert this avoidable strike.
“We are appalled by the impunity, recklessness, and irresponsibility the managers of the negotiation from both sides have managed the fragile situation allowing it to degenerate to the level of industrial action.
“We are, therefore, compelled to believe that negotiators from both sides acted so irresponsibly because of their apathy to the interest and welfare of the major stakeholder of the sector (students) during the negotiations.
“We are equally disappointed at the government for not doing everything possible to avert this embarrassment. We are also disappointed with the ASUU for reaching the conclusion irrespective of the implications to the students, academic calendar, research they claim to love, national security, and sanity.”
He stated that the Federal Government and ASUU, by their action, have sent a direct message to Nigerian students to also take positions comfortable for their side of the table irrespective of the implications.
Meanwhile, NANS Joint Campus Committee (JCC) in Ondo State has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to reverse the tuition fee fixed for state government-owned tertiary institutions.
Addressing a press conference, yesterday, in Akure, the state capital, NANS JCC Chairman, Surprise Omotoso said Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin, the first governor of Ondo State knew the importance of education when he championed free, fair and quality education.
He said the legacy Chief Ajasin left behind was sustained until the emergence of the incumbent administration.
“It is saddening that tertiary education has now been taken away from the reach of indigent citizens of the state. Daily, we watch helplessly as our colleagues drop out of school and others resort to self-help. To worsen the situation, the state’s irregular payment of salaries has turned our education system into another thing.
“Our lecturers are owed a substantial amount of salaries. Some haven’t been paid for the past six to seven months. How do they want these lecturers to feed or remain incorruptible when they are not paid? One of the reasons the government gave for the increments in tuition was that quality education is not cheap. But sadly, the standard of education on our campuses are dwindling daily with our lecturers preoccupied with how to manage and fend for their families. Our education is secondary to them,” he noted.
