*A cross-section of Nigerian students have urged the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities to resolve their differences and end 7-month strike in the interest of the students staying at home

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Nigerian students have appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to suspend its seven-month-old strike.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria Thursday, August 25, 2022, a cross-section of the students said that it was time for the ASUU to suspend the industrial action and move for amicable settlement with the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Expressing her concern on the strike, Miss Bisola Aina, a 300 Level student of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), said calling off the strike was long overdue because the Federal Government was not yielding to their (ASUU) demands.

President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR

Aina appealed to members of the academic union to suspend the strike and allow the government to come with its proposal on how their demands would be meant.

The undergraduate said that many of the students were stranded, idle and frustrated while staying at home.

Kayode Oni, a 200 Level student of Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), urged both ASUU and Federal Government to find a lasting solution to end the strike.

Oni explained that the students are beginning to get angry with the lecturer for not listening to the proposal by the government.

He stated: “We are tired and angry with our lecturers’ behaviours for not accepting the proposal by the Federal Government.

“I want to appeal to ASUU to suspend its prolonged strike and allow us resume to our various universities without any further delay.”

Bayo Fatoki, a 400 Level student of University of Jos (UNIJOS), said that the lecturers were equally suffering, but the students were suffering the most.

Fatoki lamented that if not for the strike, he ought to have graduated because he had finished his project,  and waiting for his final examinations.

The student also said: “I want to appeal to the Federal Government, ASUU and stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the prolonged strike.”

Also speaking on the ongoing ASUU strike, Miss Omowunmi Ojo, a 200 Level student of the University of Ibadan (UI), noted that the deplorable condition of education in Nigeria calls for urgent intervention by the Federal Government.

Ojo said that several Nigerian youths had lost faith in the political leaders and ASUU because it appears that they are after their personal gains.

She urged both parties to resolve their differences and end the prolonged strike for the interest of the students, who have been abandoned and frustrated.

ASUU NEC meets to decide on ongoing strike Sunday, in Abuja

Meanwhile, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities is set to meet Sunday, August 28, so as to decide on whether to suspend or continue with the ongoing industrial action.

ConsumerConnect learnt the meeting would hold at the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), the National Headquarters, according to a Member of the Council.

The ASUU NEC member reportedly disclosed, that the proposed meeting was necessitated by the recent four-week ultimatum the union had given to the government, which expires August 28.

Whatever decisions that will be taken will be based on the results of the state congresses held across various zones of the country, said the source.

When asked if the union will consider calling off the strike, the source retorted, “Does it look like the government wants to end the strike?”