Gbajabiamila writes ASUU …as NANS vows to ground activities at International airports across the country

Editor

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has written to the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities ahead of their meeting scheduled for September 20, 2022.

Recall that Lagos-based lawyer and rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN), had revealed the scheduled meeting last week.

Falana, the lawyer of ASUU, hinted that the meeting with Gbajabiamila could lead to the resolution of the face-off with the Federal Government and the eventual calling off of the now over seven months strike.

The union had been on strike since February 14, 2022.

Gbajabiamila in his letter to the leadership of ASUU, signed by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Yahaya Danzarta, and dated September 15, 2022, called for a written position by the leadership of the lecturers’ body ahead of the meeting.

“The Hon. Speaker House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, hereby invites you to a stakeholder meeting towards finding a lasting solution to the lingering strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities since February 2022,” the letter, addressed to the union’s president, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, read in part.

“The House of Representatives is deeply concerned about the renewed strike which seems to have defied all efforts made to find a solution or reach an agreement between the Federal Government and the striking university lecturers.

“The House is more worried by the negative consequences of the strike on the future and quality of education of our teeming youths who have been kept at home for the past six months despite the intervention of the House and several well-meaning Nigerians over time to see that the matter was resolved.

“In the light of the foregoing, the House hereby requests for another opportunity to come together with stakeholders and leadership of ASUU to seek an amicable resolution without prejudice to the fact that the matter is already in the Industrial Court.”

Meanwhile, the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has vowed to ground activities at international airports across the country, to protest against the seven-month faceoff between the federal government and ASUU.

The Chairman, NANS National Task Force on ‘End ASUU Strike Now,’ Ojo Raymond Olumide, who spoke in Akure, said students are tired of pleading with both parties over the need to end the strike.

Olumide said that the airports that will be occupied will remain grounded until the strike is called off, adding that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration must pay all outstanding arrears and salaries of the lecturers.

“We shall begin another round of protest next week by storming the airspaces to #OccupyTheAirports. We want to let the world know about the pains and anguish students are going through,” Olumide said.

“Nigerian students whose parents create the commonwealth cannot continue to be suffering at home alongside our lecturers while the few who gain from our sweats and blood have their kids abroad jollying and flexing.

“We call on students to rise and join us as we take our destinies into our hands. Our demands remain consistently clear and simple. We call on ASUU leadership for a meeting as soon as possible to discuss solidarity actions and plan for the next phase of the struggles”