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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has advised states government whose tertiary institutions are on strike to take every reasonable measure to ensure resumption of academic activities.
NANS said the current nationwide strike should never had affected state-owned universities whose workers joined in shutting down campuses, promising to support states government in any measure they deem fit to compel striking state university lecturers to resume work.
Its President, Sunday Asefon, in a statement, called on the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to be considerate and put students interest in their consideration, insisting that attempt by ASUU members to hold the nation into ransom is unpatriotic and self serving.
The NANS President, however, on Thursday, said the statement credited to the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, that Nigerian students affected by ASUU strike should sue ASUU for liabilities suffered as a result of the strike was a right suggestion.
He said: “Perhaps the only thing Malam Adamu Adamu has gotten right since he became a Minister is the fact that Nigerian students needed to be compensated for their wasted time, opportunities and resources.
“However, the Minister was clever by half by suggesting ASUU should be held liable for the liabilities. ASUU is neither the proprietor of our tertiary institutions nor the beneficiary of the exorbitant fees we pay across our tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
“It is an abuse of intellect to suggest that students should sue employee for protesting bad working condition and not the employer who is the proprietor of our schools and the beneficiary of the exorbitant school fees we pay.
“Since Nigerian students do not think like the Minister, and can separate what is right from wrong, we would yield the advise of the Minister, and explore legal windows for compensation of our students for numerous liabilities suffered as a result of the incessant and prolonged ASUU strike.
“While our losses in terms of lost opportunities as a result of time wasted might not be quantifiable, our losses as regards private hostel accommodations payments, research work losses, foreign admission losses, extra year resulting in miss of NYSC service opportunity are liabilities that can be quantified and liabilities accounted.
“We have therefore decided to take the advice of the Minister to seek legal redress for the liabilities suffered. We would, therefore, consult with our legal advisers to see what options are available for us to explore, legally, against the Federal Government and Minister of Education.”
