After eight months of strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), students unions of universities in the South-West, on Thursday, gave seven days ultimatum to the Federal Government to end the strike or face aggressive nationwide agitation.
According to the Presidents of Students Union Government of the Universities, at a press conference held in the University of Ibadan, the agitation will feature mass mobilisation of students in protests and mass actions that surpasses the #EndSARS protests.
Decrying eight months of deadlock in engagements between the Federal Government and ASUU with the students bearing the brunt, the student unions urgently called for a compromise between the two parties to save students’ future.
Leading the various addresses, Student Union President, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Mr Oloyede Abiodun bemoaned that nonchalant posture of the federal government towards the educational sector was typified by inadequate funding.
The students’ representatives noted that the ASUU struggle for the revitalisation of universities, improvement in infrastructure, regulation of payment of salaries was for the betterment of universities hence should not be undermined by the Federal Government.
Noting that Nigerian universities were bedevilled with poor educational infrastructure, inadequate classrooms, polluted learning environment, the paucity of quality teachers, the student union bodies asked the Nigerian government to increase its budgetary funding of the educational sector.
The Union Presidents lamented incessant ASUU strikes making students unable to pursue scholarships, extending students’ years of schooling, disrupting means of livelihood of students doing business in the school environment.
Speaking further, Oloyede urged the Federal Government to form a committee all student union leaders across the country and government representatives to handle students welfare.
Oloyede spoke alongside other student union Presidents to include, Akeju Olusegun, University of Ibadan; Olabiyi Olamide, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso; Wisdom Okoko, University of Ilorin; Awoyemi Michael, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye; Soneye Abdul-Azeez, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode.