By 
…As Protesting students barricade Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
Abiodun OBA
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), South-West zone have passed a vote of no confidence on the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, and Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, over the prolonged strike embarked upon by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The students body, on Monday informed of taking protests to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (Sagamu Interchange) over the ongoing ASUU strike.
Speaking on the protest, coordinator of the students body, Adegboye Olatunji stated that the protest was organised as a result of the lingering ASUU strike.
Olatunji stated, “Since the inception of this administration, we have seen how a meagre sum is allocated to the educational sector. It is based on the foregoing that we declare a protest against the prolonged ASUU strike which has ultimately affected the progress of Nigerian students for the past six months. And, we also passed a vote of no confidence on the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, and Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
The students expressed worry that since the inception of this administration, they have seen a meagre sum of money allocated to the educational sector.
According to the association, It is based on the foregoing that we declare a protest against the prolonged ASUU strike which has ultimately affected the progress of Nigerian students for the past six months.
There are speculations that the National Industrial Court may assign the case between the Federal Government and the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities to another judge.
It was gathered that the judge, who presided over the case on Monday, Polycap Hamman, is a vacation judge.
The case, which was filed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has been adjourned till Friday.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Tuesday led students within the South-Western region of the country to protest the long-running Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU strike, which has lasted for no fewer than seven months.
The protesting students in their hundreds thronged the highway and locked the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Shagamu Interchange.
Speaking on the protest ground, the Coordinator, South-West Zone, and National Public Relations Officer of NANS, Adegboye Emmanuel and Giwa Temitope, respectively, the student leaders said the Federal Government, led by the President Muhammadu Buhari has failed on its promises to revamp education.
A statement by the Coordinator said, “There is no point arguing about who is at fault or what is to be done, it is very clear that the rulers under-fund education and the Buhari government is failing in its promises to revamp education.
“As it is today, no higher institution in Nigeria is world-class! Yet, our so-called public servants travel all over the world spending billions to send their kids abroad for studies.
“As major stakeholders in the educational sector, we are the ones who can save ourselves. We have monitored the yearnings of students from campus to campus through their social media platforms and also in their public writings.”
The statement further reads, “Students all over Nigeria stand with ASUU. Our lecturers suffer the same hardships and mal-developments we suffer.
The staff houses are as bad as the students’ hostels. In South Africa, a professor’s laboratory is far more equipped than that of any university in Nigeria.
“History has been killed and undermined, so we, the youths, do not know where we are coming from nor talk of knowing where we are headed. But we will not lament anymore. The new leadership of NANS is here to work with students to achieve our set aims and objectives. We believe that the student movement has its place in history. It is a task that we vow to fulfill. We will never let Nigerian students down!” The statement is partly read.
Demands of the students:
“We call on ASUU leadership for a meeting as soon as possible to discuss solidarity actions and plan for the next phase of the struggles;
“We pass a vote of no confidence on both Ministers of Labour and Education; We call for the proper funding of the educational sector as against what has been attainable in the past seven years;
“We Call on the Buhari government to pay all outstanding arrears and salaries of the lecturers. The policy of “No Work No Pay” is a fascist one, it’s therefore, condemnable and nonacceptable to all the millions of students in Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the students have vowed to mobilise down to the Presidential Villa if their demands to meet ASUU demands and revamp education in the country are not met.
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