The Ebonyi State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students staged a peaceful protest on Monday to demand an immediate end to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) ongoing one-month warning strike.
The students barricaded the Presco Campus section of the busy Abakaliki-Enugu road, demanding an end to the unending strikes.
The students, led by the acting Deputy Coordinator of Zone F, Comrade Ewa Chukwumaijem, and the Joint Campus Committee (JCC) Chairman-elect in the state, Comrade Ituma Kelvin, carried placards with inscriptions such as “Age is irreversible, house rents are non-refundable”, “FG stop delaying our career”, “Stop toying with our future and that of our dear nation”, We can’t keep being bait for anyone, among other things.
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In an address to the media, Chukwumaijem stated that the protest was held to express their displeasure with the ongoing ASUU strikes in the country’s universities.
He noted that the strikes had always been about ASUU’s selfish interests rather than the interests of the students.
He urged the Federal Government and ASUU to take immediate action to end the strike in the students’ best interests.
“This is a nationwide protest,” he said. It is being carried out in various federation states. Regardless of the state’s insecurity, we have decided to hold our own protest today, but it will be peaceful.
“The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, is on indefinite strike.”
“ASUU will resolve its differences with the federal government at the end of the strike.” Who is going to deal with the students now? Nobody.
“Because we pay house rent per session, the students will end up paying another house rent.” When you pay per session and the strike takes up the session, the landlord will not allow you to leave without paying again.
“And most of us are of the age where if you don’t calculate yourself well enough, you won’t be mobilized for service.” You will now have to prove yourself by obtaining an exemption letter.
“What we are saying is that ASUU is acting in their own self-interest.” It serves no purpose for any Nigerian student. A course that should take four or five years will take seven to eight. We have no way of benefiting from the strike.
“ASUU should figure out another way to negotiate with the federal government.”
The federal government should also learn to uphold its end of the bargain.
“It is said that when two elephants fight, the grass suffers.” It is now the students who are suffering. We oppose the ASSU strike. Enough already.
After today’s nationwide NANS protest, ASSU and the Federal Government should see reasons to call off the strike.