ASUU Strike: ‘They Care About Their Children In Ukraine But Have No Empathy For Us’ — NANs Attacks FG 

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has claimed that the reason the Nigerian Government quickly evacuated its citizens in Ukraine was because some of their children were studying there. 

NANS President, Sunday Asefon, accused the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of having no empathy for the plight of Nigerian students who are currently at home as a result of the ongoing ASUU strike. 

The NANS President said this while addressing the press during the association’s protest where students had resumed their academic activities at what they called the ‘University of the Street’ at the Unity Fountain in Abuja on Monday. 

Asefon, other members of NANS and students of federal universities were present at the ‘University’ with white boards and markers to conduct their lectures, pots and cooking utensils to prepare lunch for  themselves while holding banners and placards in protest. 

“It seems that our two parents, the ASUU and the FG, have no empathy for the Nigerian students. They have failed to arrive at an agreement that will put an end to this strike. While we are calling on the Federal Government, which is a senior parent, to find a lasting solution to this matter, we are still coming here. 

“We are coming in batches because we are resuming today at our new University. It is not a one-day show, it will be a continuous exercise. We are expecting our colleagues from other states to join us. Students from Niger, Nasarawa and Kogi are close,” Asefon said. 

The NANS President said they would commence lectures at the ‘new university’ but when they have a reasonable number of students, they would take the protest to the streets. 

“We will be resuming here, like I have said, but by the time we have a reasonable number of  students, we may decide to leave our campus and have the lectures on the streets. And I urge all my colleagues who are still at home to join us, this is not child’s play. 

“We cannot continue this way. It is only those that wear the shoe that know where it pinches. It is only those that attend public schools that know where the problem lies,” he said. 

Asefon said while he commended the Federal Government on swift evacuation of Nigerian students in Ukraine, they only responded so quickly to the situation because it is their children who school abroad in the first place. 

“If we look at the number of students in Ukraine and observe the way our leaders take it so seriously, it is because their children are there schooling and they have to find a means of evacuating them. Have you ever seen the Speaker of the House of Reps speak on the ASUU strike? Have you ever seen the Senate President say anything about it? No, because it is only those who wear the shoes that knows where it pinches. 

“Despite the fact that I commend the federal government’s proactiveness in for evacuating our colleagues in Ukraine back to Nigeria, I also challenge them that it is because of insincerity on their  part for not giving us a suitable environment to study, that Nigerians are leaving this place to go and study outside the country. 

“But if we had a better university system in Nigeria, the number of people leaving to go and study abroad would be much less. So we want our government to fund our education sector properly,” Asefon said.

Speaking of the strike which the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions (NASU) embarked upon at midnight yesterday, Asefon said the government has fully grounded the university system in the country. 

“I woke up this morning and saw news that SSANU and NASU have also embarked on strike today, which shows that they have grounded our universities totally. 

“A fresh graduate that plans to do clearance so they can follow the next batch for NYSC, could go to their school now and discover all the offices closed. Someone who wants to travel out of the country or has a very serious appointment and needs their transcript, cannot have access to those things without the NASU and SSANU. 

“You cannot count the number of Nigerians and Nigerian students who will miss opportunities. It’s so pathetic and annoying that we are still suffering in a situation like this,” he said. 

Asefon said the association would continue to fight for their cause until the strike is called off because they believe it to be a just cause. 

“We will be here, we won’t fight anyone or resort to violence so there should be no panic. We are not a student government that someone can offer money to for anything. We have a just cause that is very simple, we want the FG as a matter of urgency, to call ASUU, so that no matter the way or the means, ASUU can call this strike off,” he said. 

Also speaking, the Coordinator of NANS Zone C and the newly appointed Registrar of the new ‘University of the street’, Abah Owoicho said the turnout might look low to others but it was more than enough for them, adding that for as long as the current ASUU strike lasts, the University of the street will continue. 

“This turnout is not low. For every passionate student that left the comfort of their home because they are disenchanted by the protracted ASUU strike, that person is worth more than 100 people to us. When we have 10 people here, we are okay. It is those who share the same cause with us that we value. 

“Students from Nasarawa just arrived, those from Kogi are close, those from Niger are close, those coming from the South-East and South-West are on their way. We discouraged some persons from travelling from the North-East because of the security situation there but those from the areas that aren’t turbulent are on their way. 

“We will be here for as long as the strike lasts, for as long as ASUU strike lasts, this campus will last,” he said. 

ASUU had commenced the nationwide strike on February 14, 2022 to intensify its demands which include the renegotiation of its 2009 agreement with the government and deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) to replace the Federal Government’s Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

The Union indicated that the strike is not a fresh one but rather a continuation of the 10-month strike which began in March 2020 and was suspended on December 23, 2020.

Other demands by ASUU include payment of earned academic allowances, funds for the revitalization of public universities, promotion arrears, and poor funding of state universities.

ASUU has also insisted on the release of the reports of visitation panels to federal universities and distortions in salary payment challenges.