The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Benin Zone, yesterday, accused the Federal Government (FG) of turning a deaf ear to all appeals to meet its demands and put an end to the ongoing strike by lecturers in the struggle for a better education system.
The Benin Zone Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Fred Esumeh, said the strike, which began on February April 14, 2022, has further confirmed that the Federal Government is not interested in the future of Nigerian students.
He said: The government is governed by ‘rodents’, parasitic elements, who prey on the country’s resources and loot it blindly, while the majority of Nigerians continue to suffer hunger, want and deprivation. Nigerians’ access to quality and affordable university education is being subtly but deliberately and steadily denied.
“They choose to meet the timelines and deadlines for politicking and political party activities to perpetuate their greed and avarice but remain insensitive to the fact that Nigerian children and students are groaning under the burden of being shut out of school for over two months.
“Rather than treat the Union’s nationalistic call with the urgency and seriousness that it deserves, government representatives continue to toy with the future of our children and students
The Union urged well-meaning Nigerians, workers and civil society organisations to prevail on the government to meet ASUU demands and save the educational system.
Meanwhile, the National Association of University Students (NAUS), Osun State, on Friday, pleaded with the Federal Government and ASUU to return to negotiating table.
Its Chairman, Eruobami Ayobami and Publicity Secretary, Olaniyan Saleem, it said the strike, was beginning to take a negative turn on students, as they seemed not to know when the strike would come to an end.
Ayobami appealed to the FG to consider the plights of ASUU members to revisit its position and the need for both parties to return to the negotiating table.
Follow our socials Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Google News.
