The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has commenced mobilisation in preparation for a nationwide strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) over the failure of the Federal Government to reach an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The students’ body said it would join forces with the labour centres comprising the NLC and Trade Union Congress until the Federal Government reached an agreement with the
NANS position was contained in a communiqué jointly signed by Comrade Adegboye Olatunji, Coordinator, NANS Zone D, Comrade Kehinde Damilola, Chairman NANS Ogun, Comrade Adeleke Quadri, Chairman NANS Oyo, and Comrade Omotosho Surprise, Chairman NANS Ondo, issued at the end of an emergency meeting of South West students leaders and stakeholders held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The emergency meeting attended by the Students Union Government (SUG) Presidents and other present and former leaders of NANS from Zone D, deliberated on critical issues affecting the students constituency in particular and the entire masses of Nigeria.
The union condemned the government for treating the strike by university lecturers with levity, urging the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu to ensure the strike was called off without delay.
“We frown totally at the Federal Government’s lackadaisical attitude towards the sector especially by treating the strike action of University staff Unions with levity.
We are resolute on mobilising all our forces to show our displeasure and we call on the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to deepen the struggle by mobilising for a national strike action until the government finds a solution to the strike action,” NANS said in a communique at the end of the meeting.
ASUU on February 14 embarked on strike to press home its demands for a better welfare package, revamping of the nation’s education sector among others, a situation that has forced many Nigerian students to be at home.
Worried by the lingering industrial dispute, President Muhammadu Buhari had on July 19 directed Adamu to proffer a solution to the challenge and report back to him in two weeks.
Adamu offered to take over negotiations with the university unions from the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige who has been at the forefront on the negotiations on July 19, 2022.
The minister subsequently gave himself two to three weeks to reach agreement with the unions and revert to President Buhari.
The ultimatum ended on August 9th with Nigerians in dark over the progress of work done by the minister.
On August 1, the union extended the strike by another four weeks, dashing the hopes of students to return to school.