Strike: NANS appeals to FG to dialogue with NASU over demands

Enugu – The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has appealed to the Federal Government to dialogue with the striking Non Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) in the interest of Nigerian students.

Members of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, at a recent rally in Lagos.
The NANS Public Relations Officer, Mr Bestman Okereafor, made the appeal in a statement and made available on Tuesday in Enugu.

“We are appealing that the Federal Government should look into the matter that caused the strike and resolve it, as Nigerian students bear the brunt of the hardship caused by the strike,’’ Okereafor said.

He said that the association was displeased at the delay by the government to resolve the lingering NASU’s industrial action.
“This is negatively affecting millions of university students currently writing their exams across the federation.

“Our students have been in total darkness, non availability of water, scarcity of transportation, non availability of examination pass, no access to the library and documentations and records among several other things, which all fall under the purview of NASU,’’ he said.

According to him, it is unfortunate that even the Senate and House of Representatives have decided to keep mute over the issue for so long, probably because their children are in the Diaspora.
“It is disappointing that the government has decided to take the welfare of Nigerian students with levity despite our love and loyalty to our dear country.

“This undue suffering is unacceptable to Nigerian students, as this has drastically affected their academic performance,’’ he said.
Okereafor, however, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to grant NANS leadership an audience to enable the association to table the myriad problems facing Nigerian students before him “as a father’’.

NASU’s strike, which commenced on Dec. 10, 2017, had lingered for over a month now. (NAN)