Richard Ginika Izuora
The newly elected President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Sunday Asefon, on Wednesday, December 9, threatened that the Association would shut down all private universities in the country; if the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) fail to call off its nine-months strike.
Asefon made this disclosure over the persistent deadlock between the Federal Government and ASUU.
According to the NANS President, the prolonged industrial action embarked on by the university lecturers had taken a toll on Nigerian students and their parents; and if they fail to call off the strike; then the body would be forced to shut down private universities in the country.
He added that most of the striking lecturers have been engaged by the private universities; and do not care about the students in government universities; hence the prolonged strike because they have other sources of income.
According to the NANS President, he and his executive members would engage the representatives of the government representatives; and the leaders of ASUU to find a lasting solution to resolve the stalemate in negotiations between the two arms.
Asefon, said that after the consultations with the two parties; and the lecturers still refuse to call off the strike; then “NANS would move in and shut down all tertiary institutions in the country.”