ASUU Strike: Pan-African Movement Suggests Bill Against Officials, Children Studying Abroad

A pan-African students movement, the Progressive Students Movement (PSM), has requested the National Assembly (NASS) to contemplate passing a bill preventing government officials and their children from studying and receiving medical care outside Nigeria.

Bestman Okereafor, the President of the movement made this plea in a statement issued on Wednesday in Enugu.

Okereafor maintained that a reform was necessary for the education and health sector due to the consistent industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the deteriorating state of the sectors. 

The President held that if a bill barring government officials and their children from studying and receiving medical care abroad was passed by the National Assembly, the needed attention would be paid to the two sectors.   

“It is disheartening that Nigerian universities have been shut for over five months as a result of the continuous ASUU strike.

“It is, however, disappointing and a complete mockery of Nigerians seeing on the media public office holders and their children studying and graduating in UK, USA, Canada among other countries with the same celebration in the media,” he said.

The PSM leader further disclosed that the movement was in talks with the striking lecturers to consider resuming negotiation, urging the Federal Government to also work towards bringing the strike to an end.

He also noted that the strike has deterred students of public tertiary institutions due to the mandatory national service from getting mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
 
“We commend Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for coming out in solidarity with students as parents even though it was long overdue.

“We have no doubt their solidarity will go a long way in further compelling the government on the need to do the needful without further delay,” he added.