NANS Urges FG to Meet ASUU Demands to Avert University Strike

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Sunday asked the Federal Government to meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to avoid a strike and the closure of universities.

The students’ leaders specifically appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritize education and take steps to prevent another strike by university lecturers. They also asked the lecturers to be open to dialogue and compromise to avoid disrupting the education system.

The Senate President of NANS, Comrade Henry Okunomo, made this plea during a media briefing in Akure, the capital of Ondo state. He urged the government to focus more on properly funding the education sector. Okunomo noted that Nigerian students suffer the most during conflicts between the government and university lecturers, and they can no longer remain silent on the matter.

He emphasized that education is the foundation of any nation’s future, helping youths become informed, skilled, and responsible citizens. Okunomo pointed out that frequent strikes in universities harm students’ academic progress and well-being, affecting their mental, emotional, and financial stability.

“We appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritize education and take concrete steps to prevent our lecturers from going on strike,” he said.

Okunomo recalled that during his campaign, the President promised that no student would stay in school longer than necessary due to disruptions in the academic calendar. The students urged the President to fulfill this promise by:

• Allocating enough resources to improve educational infrastructure and provide necessary teaching aids.
• Ensuring timely payment of salaries and benefits to lecturers.
• Honoring existing agreements with lecturers and engaging in transparent negotiations to resolve issues.
• Establishing a platform for ongoing dialogue between the government, university administration, and lecturers to address grievances before they escalate.
• Developing long-term strategies to enhance the quality of education and ensure the stability of the academic calendar.

The students warned that it would be disastrous for university lecturers to go on strike now, especially when Nigeria is facing economic hardship. They asked the lecturers to embrace dialogue and compromise where necessary to avoid collapsing the education system.

“We, the students, are the primary stakeholders in this situation. Our voices, hopes, and futures hang in the balance. We are counting on the government to act decisively and urgently to prevent the devastating impact of another strike,” Okunomo said.

The students appealed to all parties involved to remember the greater good and work together to create an environment where education can continue uninterrupted, where lecturers are respected and fairly treated, and where students can pursue their studies with confidence and peace of mind.