Students Appeal To FG, ASUU Over Incessant Strikes

Some University of Jos students have urged to the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to reach an agreement to cease the universities’ persistent strikes.

They made the request in a Friday interview with the Nigerian News Agency (NAN) in Jos.

According to NAN, ASUU issued a one-month warning strike on Monday to press its demands after suspending a nine-month walkout in December last year.

ASUU had argued that the Federal Government had failed to follow through on a 2009 agreement.

The students demanded that the two return to the negotiation table in order to find a long-term solution to the problem.

Miss Edlyn Pam, a 400-level Mass Communication student at the college, bemoaned the fact that the constant strikes had hampered her academic progress.

Pam, who stated that the ASUU strikes had caused her graduation to be postponed, also stated that the strikes had impacted the academic calendar of public universities across the country.

“Ordinarily, by now I should have graduated, but for the numerous strikes by ASUU, I’m still here.

“I have spent six years pursuing a course I should have completed in four years; I’m not even sure when I’m going to graduate.

“By the time I will be graduating, I may be above 30 years’ old and will not be eligible to go for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

“So, I’m pleading with the Federal Government and ASUU to reach a sincere agreement so as to safe the future of university education in the country,” she appealed.

Another student, Kwaptoe Fred, said that both the ASUU and the Federal Government should be sensitive to the plights of students.

He called on both parties to sheathe their swords for the interest of future generation, which he said is currently bleak because of frequent strikes by lecturers.

“To me, the demands of ASUU are genuine, but their approach to the whole thing sometimes looks wrong.

“If truly an agreement is reached between it and ASUU, such an agreement should be honoured to the letter.

“They say that when two elephants fight, the ground becomes the victims; the students in this case are the victims.

“So, we are appealing to both the ASUU and the Federal Government to return to the negotiating table and find a common ground for the sake of future generations,” Fred appealed.