ASUU STRIKE: STUDENTS VOW TO SHUT DOWN PRIVATE VARSITIES

Students of tertiary institutions under the aegis of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) yesterday staged a protest in Ado- Ekiti against the prolonged strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The students, who carried placards condemning the Federal Government’s stance, vowed to force private universities across the country to shut down if the government fails to accede to the demands of the lecturers.
They also threatened to storm the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to press home their demands.
The aggrieved students, who lamented that they have been at home for two months and five days, flayed the President Goodluck Jonathan led government for its failure to honour the agreement it had with ASUU.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Comrade Asafon Sunday, who is the Director of Action and Mobilization of NANS, South -west, zone, said “Between 2000 and 2011, government earned about N48.48 trillion from the sale of oil alone, against N3.10 trillion earned between 1979 and 1999.The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in 2012 financial year alone accrued a sum of N5.12 trillion as revenue generated from tax paid by the masses. With this upsurge in the revenue at the disposal of the Nigerian government, one would have expected such to translate to commensurate improvement in the quality of public education as well as other social services.”