Strike: NANS To Engage With Federal Govt, ASUU On Resolving Impasse
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) is set to engage with Federal Government, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on resolving the problems surrounding the ongoing ASUU strike.
In view of the nine-month-old strike embarked on by lecturers in public universities, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has said it plans to engage with the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
According to Vanguardngr, the new President of NANS, Mr. Sunday Asefon, revealed this during his maiden press conference in Abuja on Monday.
He said that the planned engagement would be aimed at prevailing on them to find a centre point for amicable resolution of the current impasse.
According to Asefon, the apex student body, under his watch, would not be complicit to unending strike.
While describing the strike as ridiculous, he expressed optimism that the planned consultation with both parties would yield a positive result.
He said, “Again, I assure Nigerian students of my resolve to do all within my abilities to protect our interests, place the interest and welfare of Nigerian students above all considerations and reposition our association to take its rightful place in the centre of our nation’s polity.
“To this end, I will immediately set out to engage stakeholders within the education sector to add our strong voice against the overstayed ASUU strike.
“We will be consulting with the representatives of the Federal Government and ASUU with the aim of prevailing on them to find a centre point for an amicable resolution to ensure our return to school.
”The engagement is going to be now and not later. ASUU strike started before the COVID-19 pandemic. We are convinced that this high-level consultation will yield a positive result and we will not have to resort to mobilising students to mount any protest to this ridiculous long stay at home.
He added that NANS would also fight against arbitrary expulsion, suspension, and rustication of students for dissent and peaceful protest.
However, the Asefon distanced the association from the second phase of the #EndSARS protests. “We are not going to be part of any protest that doesn’t have leadership. We are not part of #RevolutionNow,” he stated.