'We will shut down Nigeria if government fails to resolve ASUU strike - NANS

The president of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has given the federal government of Nigeria a 21-day ultimatum to resolve the strike action embarked by the Academic Staff Union of Universities to enable students return to school, warning that students would shut down the country if the government fails to resolve the issues and end the strike within the stipulated time.  

In the statement issued by Chinonso Obasi on Tuesday, he urged the government and ASUU to have “constructive engagement” to resolve the lingering issues that led to the declaration of the strike.

According to Mr. Obasi, the incessant and prolonged strike was one of the factors responsible for the falling standard of education in the country.

Incessant strikes and stoppage of academic activities as a result of lack of agreements or lack of adherence and implementation of duly executed memorandum of agreements between the Federal Government and ASUU do not reflect and demonstrate commitment to the sustainable development of the nation’s education sector and human capital, he said.

President of NANS, Chinonso Obasi

Obasi said NANS had called on the Nigerian Senate to convene an emergency meeting to deliberate on the strike and other issues of critical national importance.

NANS will await the outcome of meeting (between government and ASUU) to determine the next line of action, he said.

The association also called on the parties to demonstrate sensitivity and patriotism to resolve the issues “to save education in the nation and avert unfortunate developments associated with the idleness of young people.”  

ASUU last week embarked on an indefinite strike to press home multiple demands, including poor funding of universities and part payment of lecturers’ salaries.