The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), South-West Zone, has declared readiness to join the two-day planned protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to end the prolonged industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
NANS made this known via a statement issued by its Coordinator, and Public Relations Officer, Adegboye Olatunji and Awoyinfa Opeoluwa, a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Tuesday.
The NLC had earlier vowed to embark on a nationwide protest on July 26 and 27 in solidarity with the trade unions in the Nigerian public universities and others.
The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who made the disclosure in a circular jointly signed by Mr. Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary of the Congress on Sunday, said the protest was in line with the decisions of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the NLC on June 30.
ASUU and other trade unions in the education sector have been on strike for over five months over alleged failure of the Federal Government to keep to agreement entered with the unions.
The demands of the striking workers include issues bordering on funding of universities, salaries, and earned allowances of lecturers.
However, the NANS leadership in the South-West zone called on students across the country to join the NLC in the nationwide protest in solidarity with ASUU.
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NANS added that it would “not keep silent and watch our future being ruined by the prolonged ASUU strike.”
It stated: “It is timely and urgent to issue this statement today with a view to putting an end to the lingering strike action by ASUU. We want a total reformation of the educational sector.
“The Leadership of NANS, Zone D, has taken it upon herself to categorically stand against the dilapidated state of the educational sector in Nigeria.
“We are at a time when Nigerian students have lost hope and do not know what’s next on the radar. ASUU strike has been on for over five months without any hope of resumption.
“We have also waited for so long to see if the Federal Government will dance to the music of Nigerian students who have been clamoring for an end to the ASUU strike but the reverse is the case.
“We’ve had several press conferences, granted several interviews, held several meetings to plead with both ASUU and the Federal Government, and held several peaceful protests across the Federation.
“According to the commandment of solidarity, we’re on the last ‘Cs of Aluta,’ which is confrontation. This is the time to call on all Nigerian students across all zones to join the NLC in solidarity to end ASUU strike on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, and Wednesday, July 27, 2022. Nigerian students are tired of the long overdue strike action.
“Consequently, all NANS cadres and stakeholders, zonal leadership, Campus Committee Chairmen, Student Union Government presidents, Nigerian students, and the general public are hereby put on high notice to mobilise, organise and get prepared to be part of the movement,” NANS said.
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