ASUU Strike: NANS Blocks Akure Road, Passes Vote Of No Confidence On TVC

Members of the Southwest (Zone D) of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have blocked the Road- Block, Akure, the Ondo State Federal road to protest the prolonged ASUU strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other issues affecting the education sector.

In a press release jointly signed by the Co-ordinator, the Deputy Co-ordinator, and the Public Relations Officer of NANS Southwest (Zone D), Comr. ADEGBOYE EMMANUEL OLATUNJI, Comr ALAO JOHN, and Comr. AWOYINFA OPEOLUWA respectively, the association expressed its discontent at the indifference of the government in salvaging what is left of the education sector.

The statement blamed the ASUU Strike which it called 'a yearly calamity' on the failure of the education ministry in Nigeria.

"Today, as the South West leadership of Nigerian Students, we are here to once again expose to the world, the barefaced lip service and unconcealed disinterestedness of the Muhammad Buhari Government in rescuing the future of this country from this path of irredeemable destruction.

"Road Block Akure, Ondo State federal road has been blocked by the leadership of NANS Southwest (Zone D).

"It’s over 3 months of dilemma, confusion, plan disruption, and disorientation for Nigerian University Students due to the ongoing ASUU strike which was orchestrated by the systemic failure we call education ministry in Nigeria.

"This yearly calamity which has assumed a pandemic status is apparently the least of worries for President Buhari and his education ministers", the statement reads in part.

It added that "just today, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) embarked on a nationwide industrial action. Similar reasons for the ongoing ASUU strike were also cited by ASUP as the basis for their proposed work stoppage.

"ASUP national strike has completely brought the entire national education sector to a standstill."

The association, through the statement, also addressed the issue of the television channel Television Continental (TVC) which accused the protest of the association of being related to the Sokoto religious blasphemy, passing a vote of no confidence on the TV station.

"We must state categorically that the #ENDASUUATRIKE protest is or is never connected with the Sokoto Religious Blasphemy.

"It’s so disheartening that a TV station practically owned by a Presidential aspirant could connect such inhumane action to the End ASUU Protest going on.

"NANS Southwest (Zone D) hereby passes a vote of no confidence on TVC.

"We hereby declare all TVC correspondence PERSONA-NON-GRATA in all institutions across Southwest Nigeria," it explained.

NANS further said the problems in the education sector would only worsen the situation of the poor, pleading that the ongoing industrial actions by ASUU and ASUP be attended too and resolved.

"Consequently, more helpless children of the poor shall be subjected to further aggravation, depravation and infringement of their right to education.

"It is popularly believed and rightly so that the apparent lack of sympathy, empathy and political will by the ruling to curtail these issues is because they use public fund to ensure that their children enjoy the best of education across the world.

"They forget that if leaders of those countries also neglect their academic sectors, their children will have nowhere to go.

"We demand that all the intrinsic issues surrounding ASUU strike be resolved immediately and the looming ASUP strike be prevented at all costs.

"Much damage, oppression and injustice have been meted out to Nigerian Students and further affliction should not be dispensed on us through the elongation of the ongoing industrial action.

"Finally, we are disappointed in Ayuba Wabba led Nigeria Labour Congress for showing less concern about ASUU and Nigerian Students in this difficult time.

"We urge other stakeholders to unite with us even as we continue to demand for our rights.

"Education is our right!", the statement concluded.