STUDENT BODY, NANS PLANS MASS ACTION OVER ASUU STRIKE

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has called on all its structures and organs to commence mobilisation for mass action against the Federal Government, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics from January 7, 2019.

 This was contained in a statement signed by the association’s President, Danielson Akpan. The ASUU commenced a nationwide strike on November 4 after lecturers accused the federal government of not implementing previous agreements.

The association had earlier issued an ultimatum of two weeks to FG, ASUU, and ASUP on December 23, to call off the strike or face confrontation. According to the correspondence, the association blamed the parties involved of not making appreciable steps in resolving the crises.

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Akpan accused the university lecturers of not showing enough commitment to end the strike, saying they staged a walk-out during negotiations with the government despite the latter meeting two out of their three demands. The three major issues, the NANS leader said, include the non-payment of some academic staff salaries shortfall, non-release of operational license for Nigerian Universities Pension Management Company, NUPEMCO, and non-payment of earned academic allowances.

“The minor disagreement over figures in salaries shortfall which the government claimed to be N15 billion as against ASUU’s N25 billion “None of the issues mentioned above directly improves a lot of Nigerian students or infrastructure and basic amenities on our campuses. Again, why are Nigerian Students made to suffer for the interests of ASUU or ASUP which doesn’t improve lots of Nigerian students?” Akpan asked.