The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has attacked the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for refusing to suspend its ongoing strike over unpaid six months salary arrears.
ASUU had said in its recent meeting with the Federal Government that it refused to call off the strike as the government refused to pay its members six months’ salaries during the period they were on strike.
NANS, in a statement issued by its president, Sunday Asefon, condemned in totality, the insistence of ASUU on the payment of a six-month arrears salary for the entire period of the strike before they could call off the strike.
According to NANS, this demand was not only insensitive, but also selfish, inconsiderate, and uncharitable.
It stated that the six months were periods of no work and that as much as it encouraged the government to pay their arrears irrespective, it was unfair to base the resumption of academic activities on full payment of the arrears.
The students said they had also, unfortunately, noticed that since the beginning of the strike, ASUU had refused to put the students who were the major losers into consideration whatsoever.
“They have hidden from us the major areas of contention. Every other stakeholder, except ASUU, has met with us directly to discuss the issues.
“ASUU had masqueraded some of their interests as the interest of tertiary education in Nigeria, and at some point masqueraded their interest as the interest of the students. We know that ASUU is less concerned about the interest of the students because of our experiences with them at our various tertiary institutions,” it stated.
NANS added that university authorities had used ASUU members and leaders to expel, suspend and rusticate students for merely protesting for improved welfare.
“They expel and rusticate students for protesting for basic needs such as water, power, habitable hostel accommodation, etc.
“ASUU members arbitrarily failed students for questioning their positions or opinions and sometimes for asking too many questions. These same people cannot suddenly turn around to claim they are fighting for our interest, our interest they trample upon at every given opportunity at our various tertiary institutions,” the body said.
NANS further said, “We believe that if the government has met substantially major areas of their demand, ASUU should tread the path of honour by calling off the strike. We no longer believe that this continuous strike is fashionable, reasonable, justifiable, and necessary.”
