The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has described the nationwide strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), as tantamount to students paying for offence they didn’t commit.
The students’ body said the non-payment of some allowances to academic staff and lack of facilities in the country’s universities were caused by the government, saying it was wrong and disheartening to allow students to be at the receiving end, through incessant and prolonged strike.
Speaking with journalists via telephone in Ado Ekiti yesterday, NANS President, Sunday Asefon, said Nigerian students are ready for a serious, concerted and synchronised fight to rescue the country’s ivory towers from total collapse.
Asefon expressed dismay at how ASUU used to embark on strike at every slightest opportunity, urging them to be more patriotic and think of the country’s future in dealing with any matter relating to their welfare.
According to him, “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-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 strike all the way.
“At the end of every industrial action, ASUU members are paid their salaries, and likewise, government officials in charge of education supervision get their entitlements.
“But the Nigerian students get nothing but a waste of 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 destabilise our plans.
“Many of our graduates will miss NYSC mobilisation due to age limit, many will lose job opportunities arising from age factors, while many became exposed to risks and crimes, following the avoidable idle mode the strike imposed on the students.
“To act against these numerous consequences of strike on the Nigerian students’ academic journey, I am pleased to direct immediate commencement of planning and mass mobilization of Nigerian students and comrades across the 36 state 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 free flow of vehicles.
The NANS’ leader stated that the National Secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) 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 all their strategies and threats would come to effect if ASUU and the federal government fails to reach compromise and get the campuses reopened on or before February 28, 2022.
