Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
The Academic Staff Union of University’s (ASUU) position that the federal government must pay them six months’ worth of salary arrears for the time they were on strike has been criticized by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) as being evil, self-centered, and callous. ASUU has stated that in order to end its industrial action, the outstanding salary must be paid.
NANS, however, claimed that in contrast to its initial position of working to reform the education sector, which it had led the public to think, such a demand had painted ASUU as pursuing the limited interests of its members.
This was stated by the student body in a statement that its national president, Sunday Asefon, made accessible to reporters in Ado Ekiti yesterday.
Asefon claimed that NANS had supported ASUU from the beginning of the strike, arguing that the current demand made by the academics on strike was not only unsatisfactory and frivolous but also reflected the pursuit of a specific interest.
The NANS leader warned the lecturers against acting in an employer-like manner even though they are only employees, stating that doing so violates the law.
“However, we completely reject ASUU’s demand that they be paid a six-month salary in arrears for the entire strike period before they can call it off. This demand is unkind, self-centered, and uncharitable in addition to being insensitive.
“The six months are unproductive times. Even though we strongly urge the government to make good on its debt, it is unreasonable to condition the return to academic activity on complete payment of the arrears.
“Unfortunately, we have also observed that ASUU has consistently refused to take into account the students who are the strike’s biggest losers. The main points of conflict have been kept a secret from us. ASUU is the only stakeholder who has not directly met with us to discuss the problems.
ASUU had misrepresented some of its interests as those of tertiary education in Nigeria and, at one point, as those of the students. Due to our interactions with students at our various tertiary institutions, we are aware that ASUU is less concerned with their interests.
“University administrators have rusticated, suspended, and expelled students for no other reason than that they were protesting for better welfare. Students who demonstrate for necessities like water, power, livable hostel accommodations, etc. are expelled and rusticated.
“ASUU members unfairly disqualified students who questioned their beliefs or stances, or who occasionally asked too many questions. The same people who constantly step on our interests at our numerous tertiary institutions cannot suddenly turn around and say they are standing up for us.
“We think that if the government has substantially addressed their primary areas of need,
ASUU should end the strike in a way that upholds its honor. We no longer support this ongoing strike as being fashionable, rational, essential, or justifiable.
The leader of NANS further explained that asking for six months’ worth of unpaid wages before ending the strike was comparable to “kidnappers demanding their ransom before releasing their victims.”
