Settle With ASUU Now, Students Urge Jonathan

As the nationwide strike embarked upon by organised labour ended following President Goodluck Jonathan’s reduction of fuel pump price to N97 per litre, varsity students in the country have urged the President to also settle his differences with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The aggrieved university students argued that if Jonathan and his ministers could be so eager to settle with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over the nationwide strike, they see no reason why the government should not do same with ASUU if it really takes the education of the citizens serious.

The students who spoke with Campus Square opined that after the NLC strike has been called off, they expected Jonathan to take necessary steps on the ASUU strike as well, so that academic activities can begin in without further delay.

“That is the only way he (Jonathan) can at least re-ignite the confidence we used to have in him, because he had betrayed us in the past. I urge him and the authorities concerned to discuss and make sure that we resume as soon as possible,” said Yinka Ogunlola, a student of the Lagos State University.

Another student, popularly known as Dings at the University of Lagos, Akoka, disclosed that “I don’t know why the government seems not to be concerned about the country’s education system, and that is quite disheartening.”

Meanwhile, an Islamic scholar, Imam Mohammed Moshood, who expressed concern about the comatose situation of the education sector, admonished government to pay more attention to the sector because it is the future of the country.

“Our leaders are where they are today because they are educated, so I expect them to sow a good seed in the education sector in order to save the future of this country. I can’t imagine what a Nigerian generation full of uneducated people would look like. I implore the government to meet the demands of ASUU on time.”

—Bayo Adetu