NANS demands sack of education, labour ministers over NASU strike

Worried by the continuous strike action by the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) in the nation’s universities’, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have demanded the immediate resignation of the Education and Labour ministers, Mallam Adamu Adamu and Chris Ngige respectively.

The aggrieved students wondered why the federal government would allow the strike action to linger for almost three months without engaging the striking workers.

Rising from their 74th senate meeting held at the Niger State College of Education, Minna, the students, under the aegis of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in a communiqué made available to The Guardian lamented that the strike action by NASU has not only hindered activities, it has disrupted academic calendar.

In the communiqué jointly signed by NANS Senate President, Taiwo Bamigbade, and Chairman, Communiqué drafting committee, Mohammed Saba, the students urged the federal government to reopen negotiation with the striking workers to save the sector from collapse.
And for their poor handling of the dispute, the students called for the immediate sack of the two ministers saddled with the responsibility of meeting with the aggrieved workers.

The students also frowned at the poor budgetary allocation to the sector and called on the National Assembly to upwardly review the sector’s allocation as they deliberate on the appropriation bill.

‘’Should this plea to the lawmakers fail, Nigerian students will be left with no other option than to occupy the National Assembly which is the umbrella body for all constituencies in Nigeria,’’ the students said.

The NANS Senate faulted the University of Benin management for rusticating five student leaders of the institution including the president, ‘for their alleged role in the protest against hike in fees.

On the report of a four-man delegation that visited Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), the Senate President applauded the upgrading of the school to a Master- degree awarding institution, peaceful co-existence among management, staff and students of the institution as well as the accreditation of more programmes by National University Commission (NUC).

The SUG President of University of Calabar moved a motion for the ratification of award to honour the Vice Chancellor of FUOYE, Prof. Kayode Soremekun and his management team. The motion was seconded by SUG President of the Federal University of Technology Minna. The Senate said a proposed date for conferment of the award would be communicated to FUOYE management.