NLC: FG has abandoned varsity students for 2023 elections

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused the Federal Government (FG) of abandoning university students, who have been at home for over two months, to attend to their political ambition and other electioneering activities ahead of the 2023 general election.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, and Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, have both declared intentions to contest the 2023 presidential election,

The Central Working Committee of NLC, led by the union President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, on Wednesday in Abuja, decried what it described as gross injustice against Nigerian students and the entire citizens by the APC-led administration, adding that government has continued to pay lip service to issues concerning education to the detriment of the masses.

Wabba said: “We are facing a period of great injustice on the downtrodden of the society, children of the poor are at home but the children of the rich are going to school, we have written several communication to the government but no response till date, rather they are busy discussing politics.

“I think it’s very clear we have not had it rosy, we just got out of COVID-19 but we have more serious challenges centred around education.

“As you all know, the children of the poor are at home while those of the rich are going to school. To date, we have communicated through recommendations to the government but no response.

“This is most disheartening because people in our generation benefited from free education from primary to tertiary level. This is not acceptable, instead of the politicians discussing these issues as a national emergency they are occupied with the 2023 elections.

“We at this CWC meeting would be looking at the upcoming political dispensation. A lot of broken promises. No worker should sit down and just watch, certainly, that will not be our portion. We must engage politicians, making sure the downtrodden is accommodated in the next political dispensation,” the NLC President stated.

The Star

Segun Ojo