The National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) has urged the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) to engage in meaningful dialogue to avert any potential disruption in the academic calendar.
The NANS Senate President, Mr. Henry Okunomo, emphasized this during a news briefing held in Akure. It is noted that ASUU had issued a three-week ultimatum to the Federal Government regarding unresolved issues.
Mr. Okunomo stressed the importance of the Federal Government taking swift and definitive action to prevent any disruptions in the educational sector, advocating for the prevention of a strike.
Additionally, he appealed to President Bola Tinubu to allocate adequate resources to the educational sector to enhance infrastructure, provide essential teaching materials, and ensure punctual disbursement of salaries and benefits to lecturers.
Furthermore, he emphasized the need to establish a systematic platform for ongoing dialogue between the government, university administrators, and lecturers to address any grievances before they escalate and lead to potential academic disruptions.
“We are all acutely aware of the recurring disruptions caused by strikes in our universities.
“These strikes, often as a result of unresolved issues between university lecturers and the government, have profound and far reaching consequences on the educational journey of countless students.
“It is with a heavy heart and a determined spirit that I address this pressing issue today, appealing to the government to take immediate and effective steps to prevent our lecturers resorting to another strike.
“We, the students, are the primary stakeholders in this situation. Our voices, hopes, and futures hang in the balance.
“We are counting on the government to act decisively and with a sense of urgency to prevent the devastating impact of another strike.
“We appeal to our lecturers to also embrace dialogue and shift ground where necessary to avoid collapse of the education system,” he said.
Okunomo concluded that it would be disastrous for university lecturers to shut down the universities with an industrial action when the country is battling economic hardship.
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