By John Ikani
Following the 12-week extension of the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has vowed to block all federal roads and airports in the country.
NANS President, Sunday Asefon, in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday, condemned the inaction of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari over the industrial action which started on February 14, 2022.
ASUU is demanding the release of revitalization funds for universities, renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), Earned Academic Allowances, withheld salaries, amongst others.
NANS had earlier threatened fire and brimstone, censuring the Federal Government for abandoning students of public universities but politicians including current ministers have shunned the striking lecturers and protesting students.
Reacting to the Monday’s extension of the industrial action, Asefon affirmed that students of public universities would disrupt primary elections and conventions by political parties scheduled for May ending among other moves aimed at protesting against the disruption of academic activities in public universities.
What the students’ body is saying:
The statement by Asefon was titled, ‘ASUU Strike Extension: The silence of the Government and the ruling class; the nation must feel the heat’.
It partly read, “Having exhausted all window of constructive engagement with the government. I, on behalf of the national leadership of NANS therefore declare National Action from May 10, 2023.
“The National Actions is tagged ‘Operation Test Run’ and shall be held in all the 36 states of the Federation. Federal roads across the 36 states shall be occupied for a minimum of three hours daily. The Operation shall be a precursor to a total shutdown that will be decided during our Senate meeting/pre-convention on Saturday 14th May 2022.
“Our proposal to congress on the 14th shall be total blockage of the airport roads across the country and total disruption of political party primaries, blockage of the national assembly until they are committed to passing legislation banning public office holders from sending their children to university abroad.
“By this release, all JCC Chairmen, Zonal Leaderships and stakeholders are directed to act appropriately and ensure total compliance to the directive of ‘Operation Test Run’ shut down the federal roads in your State, the nation must feel the heat.”
What you should know
ASUU’s strike has been a recurrence decimal in the Academic calendar of Nigerian students.
Data analysed by local investigative media Premiumtimes in 2018 and updated till 2020 showed that Nigerian lecturers had gone on strike 15 times since 1999. The entire period they embarked on such strike spanned about 50 months.
This represents about one-fifth, or 20 per cent, of the number of years since the dawn of democracy in Nigeria (1999).
This means that for every five years since 1999, Nigerian universities spent one on strike.
The strike actions, mostly blamed on the government’s non-implementation of agreement with the academic body, have disrupted the academic pursuits of most Nigerian students with an estimated 75 per cent graduating later than scheduled.
