ASUU’s Indefinite Strike Is Educational Terrorism, Economic Sabotage – NANS
BY TEMI OHAKWE, ABUJA – The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has said that the comprehensive, total and indefinite strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), is not in the interest of the nation nor tertiary education system in Nigeria.
It described the refusal of ASUU to call off the over six month old strike as “educational terrorism and economic sabotage”, just as it called on the Federal Government to act fast in putting an end to the lingering crisis.
NANS therefore called on the Federal Government to investigate the leadership of the ASUU with the aim of unraveling their motivation and insistence on collapsing public university system in Nigeria.
NANS in a statement signed in Abuja by its President, Comrade Sunday Asefon, said that it considered ASUU’s decision as not only unpatriotic, unnecessary but wicked and definitely not in the interest of Nigeria nor the tertiary education system in the country.
NANS further said; “We have taken the time to review the decision of ASUU to declare an indefinite strike after the ongoing six-month strike, we consider the decision as not only unpatriotic, unnecessary but, wicked and definitely not in the interest of our nation nor the tertiary education system in Nigeria.
“Such a decision was easy for ASUU because many of their leaders do not have their wards in public universities and still keep employment at various private universities around the country and as such not affected by their attempt to collapse the sector for their selfish and inconsiderate gains,” it said.
NANS also decried ASUU’s action saying the lecturers have ulterior motive which is aimed at collapsing university education system in Nigeria and systematically promoting private Universities.
According to NANS: “ASUU has succeeded initially to masquerade their strike action as an action in the interest of the tertiary education system in Nigeria and in the interest of the teeming Nigerian students.
“Events of recent weeks have therefore made it abundantly clear that ASUU has an ulterior motive which is to collapse university education system in Nigeria and systematically promote private Universities where many of them have their children, stakes and perhaps where they receive payment for the job of collapsing public universities in Nigeria.
“Government must act fast and be ruthless in dealing with anyone found culpable to serve as deterrence to others who might want to hold the nation at ransom and perpetuate systemic terror attack on the nation.
It particularly condemned the insistence of ASUU to be paid its members six months arrears for the entire period of the strike before they can call off the strike.
According to NANS; “This demand is not only insensitive, it is selfish, inconsiderate, and uncharitable. The six months are periods of no work, we, therefore, encourage the government to use every available legal window to ensure that ASUU does not kill our tertiary education system.
NANs called on State Government to liaise with Vice-Chancellors of state institutions to announce the resumption of academic activities and grant the Vice-Chancellors authority to enforce the resumption, stressing that state universities should never have joined the strike in the first place.
It urged the government to maintain its position as an employer to hire and fire effectively at this time to save the education system from the total collapse by ASUU.
“We therefore, plead with ASUU leadership in state institutions that had been so ridiculed and labeled quacks by the National President of ASUU to toe the path of honour and save their institutions from the verge of total collapse by calling off the strike”.
