New NANS Leadership  Outlines Plans

INFOMEDIA – Leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) will be meeting the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) towards ending the eight-month-old strike by university lecturers.

NANS said the aim of the meeting is finding a “centre point for amicable resolution” to ensure that students in public universities return to school.

The newly elected NANS’ President, Sunday Asefon, stated this at a a press conference on Monday in Abuja.

ASUU began the nationwide strike on March 23 to press for the release of funds for revitalisation of universities and university workers’ earned allowance, constitution of visitation panels for the universities, payment of shortfall in salaries of lecturers, and a stop to the use of the payment platform, IPPIS, for payment of salaries in the universities.

The union proposed the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a replacement for the controversial IPPIS.

As part of the efforts to end the eight-month-old strike, the federal government last week reconstituted its team to renegotiate the 2009 agreements with lecturers.

Mr Asefon said he would be consulting with the representatives of the two feuding parties to find a common ground to end the prolonged strike.

“I am convinced that this high-level consultation will yield a positive result and we will not have to resort to mobilising students to mount any protest to this ridiculous long stay at home.

“NANS, under my watch, will not be complicit to such unending strike and never again will Nigerian students have to stay home this long,” he said.

He also said NANS would fight against victimisation of students leaders and activists on campuses.

“Arbitrary expulsion, suspension, and rustication of students for dissent and peaceful protest shall be met with stiff opposition from NANS,” he said.

Mr Asefon also said NANS would be working with the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) “with the aim of providing legal representation for victimised students across the 36 states of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory.”

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