Members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have declared that the six-month nationwide strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) would turn around the fortunes of the educational system in the country and launch it back to reckoning in the global ranking.
The newly elected NANS’ South-west Coordinator, Sunday Asefon, said this in a statement issued yesterday in Ado-Ekiti. He also lauded the doggedness of the leadership of ASUU over its fight to rescue the country’s universities from decay.
Other elected zonal leaders of the association at its December 22 election were: Afolabi Mutiu Deputy Coordinator, Obanobi Abidemi, General Secretary, Olatinwo Jeremiah, Public Relations Officer, Ajayi Olawande, Treasurer and Oloja Olanrewaju, Assistant General Secretary.
NANS warned that it won’t hesitate to join ASUU in future to fight the federal government should it renege on the agreements with the union.
According to the statement, “the victory recorded in the nationwide strike by ASUU was a victory for all which history will not forget.
“This will bring to an end poor infrastructure on campuses, poor laboratories, high rate of cult activities, victimisation of students by lecturers and other social vices.”
Asefon also charged President Goodluck Jonathan to address the political crises in the country which has led to verbal tirades among the political class, saying such could threaten the unity of the country if not checkmated.
NANS lamented the upsurge in the level of armed robbery across the country; “The recent massacre in Offa and Ikere Ekiti arising from armed robbery attacks on banks by men of the underworld was of high priority and we call on the security agencies to look into the matter and apprehend the culprits,” the body said.
The students’ body also tasked the government at all levels to direct attentions to the dilapidated state of roads across the country, saying the scourge has caused a geometric increase in the number of deaths on Nigerian highways.
NANS is a disgrace wen d strike was on u threatened 2 sue asuu now u r turning around 2loud dem. God punish u
which of the NANS is talking? NANS is now a disgrace to students’ unionism. First they were in solidarity with FGN during the strike, later on They threaten their teachers as the romance with FGN grew, the strike ended not because of their threat but because ASUU cannot be intimidated by any type of threat and now they are shouting accolades to ASUU for ending the strike. Sorry NANS need to go back and reorganize yourselves
Nobody is talkin abt asup ……..poly studenta are tired of dis discrimination
Ah dunno wats wrong wit dse peeps ma hostel rent has expired unused due to dis useless strike. Will asuu talk to our landlords about d hostel fees. Ur guess is as good as mine. We the students are the life wire of an institution but we are d ones bearing the consequences of the strike nawh mtcheww
A whole academic year gone.
What remedy now!
THE AGONY OF A FUPRITE
Tribalism has been a major problem to the development of our nation and our community. A Nation divided against herself will not be able to develop as it ought to be. Such is the present case of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which is currently having an adverse effect on the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun.
Federal University of Petroleum Resources is the first of its kind in Africa and the sixth of its kind in the world. It is a school aimed at training students on better ways to harness and efficiently utilize the greatest God-given Natural Resources of Nigeria.
With my description above, a reader should easily conclude that Federal University of Petroleum Resources should be the best university in Nigeria but you and I know that the reverse is presently the case. In fact, as a reader, you might be hearing the name of this school for the first time.
Delta State seems to be one of the biggest oil-producing states in Nigeria. As a result, propositions were made that it should harbor this great institution despite great competitions by other geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Since 2007 that the school started, it cannot even boast of 10 sound buildings, Engineering Workshops, Comfortable Hostel to cater for its students (less than 2000 students), COREN’s accreditation, PTDF recognition, Federal Government Recognition, World Class learning environment and lots more that it deserve.
The school has faced so many challenges and it took a bold step by students in 2011 by protesting to get a 2-year NUC accreditation. A rapid recent development occurred in the school immediately after NUC sent their representative, Prof. Al-Hassan Lawal Bichi to oversee the administration of the school. Shortly, tribalism sets in again, the Urhobo’s requested for an indigenous leader for the university. This threw the university into moment of seeking for a suitable Vice-Chancellor. Thank God for the efforts of Senator Bamanga (The Pro-Chancellor) and his team for the successful but tedious search to fulfill their requirement.
Location of this kind of university should be in a welcoming community. The Ugbomro community has not been so welcoming to the students and the entire school. The community youths have met students while on their duty as students to injure and extort them of the little provision made by their parents/guardians. In addition to these, students have been robbed in their apartment. This same set of youths, involved in these evil acts arose and locked the gates of the school which lead to an obstruction of the ongoing examinations. The reason for these act was because there was no member of the community (even when they are not qualified) in the recently employed staffs of the school.
The struggle for the school to meet up with the general academic calendar was also interrupted. Currently, many members of the community are working as cleaners, security, administrative officer etc but these youths didn’t consider these before their actions. Only the qualified should get the job.
Delta State Government has failed to cater for its youth and this has resulted into great problem for the school in the community. I hereby call on the government of Delta States and Ministry of Youth empowerment (if there be any) to look into these issues and correct them.
Niger-Delta Development Commission, I also charge you to put up plans to check into the agony of these youth because they are surely causing more havoc to the development of Federal Republic of Nigeria than any good they might be doing
Now, to the Federal Government of Nigeria, this school offers one of the courses that the federal government spends money on yearly for distant learning (Marine Engineering) but the Federal Government has not considered strengthening this school to offer the course in world-class standard but rather, they prefer spending the money abroad (Underutilization of Resources). With respect to this point of view, it is either the Federal Government is not aware about the school or they do not care about the school
To the Ministry of Petroleum, I believe you should be responsible for drawing the attention of the Federal Government to this school but nothing as such has been heard. Even Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) do not recognize the school
As far as I am concerned, it takes the Federal Government less than six (6) months to equip this school to meet up to the World Class Standard. I hereby charge the Honorable President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan), The Honorable Minister of Education, The Honorable Minister of Petroleum (Dr. Allison Diezani-Madueke) to arise to these issues and resolve it on time.
I weep not only for myself but for the future of every Nigerian youth. The Students of Federal University of Petroleum Resources have been trained under the platform of Excellence and Relevance and it is reflecting in their lifestyle as they have not launched a revenge blow despite the wickedness meted on them and their school by the youths of Ugbomro community. I plead with all those involved to act fast
Yours in the Service of my Fatherland
ONNI, Joseph Yusuf