Tobias Sylvester
The Students Wing of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has condemned the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
CNG Condemn ASUU Strike
KanyiDaily recalls that ASUU had embarked on a warning strike since February 14, over the failure of the federal government to meet its demands.
Amid the strike, the government and the union have held a series of meetings, but no agreement has been reached by both sides on ending the strike.
Addressing journalists on Friday in Kano, CNG national coordinator, Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi threatened to shut down the National Assembly, major highways and airports in the 19 northern states and Abuja to protest the government’s handling of the ASUU demands which has grounded university education in the country for months.
Charanchi said the “protracted closure of our Universities and Colleges of Education has exposed the children of the poor to violence and exploitation with early marriages, more idle minds recruited into militias, sexual exploitation of girls and young women, teenage pregnancies, and child labour, already becoming more common.”
The coalition condemned “the levity and condescension with which the Federal Government is approaching the indefinite closure of universities and associated Institutions, especially with the recent shameless admission by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed that the complexities of the situation are beyond comprehension.”
In view of this, the coalition said it has resolved among others to mobilize all its 19 Northern states chapters to collaborate with other students and parents and civil society organisations to petition traditional and religious leaders as well as security agencies in these states on its worries and line of action.
“As a last option, in case of failure of these decent moves to yield positive results and ensure the reopening of Universities, we shall mobilize students and parents to massive zonal protests that would entail the shutting down of activities in all states and national assemblies, all political party offices and all major highways, airways and railways,” it said.
KanyiDaily recalls that President Buhari had pleaded with the ASUU to consider the plight of students and call off the ongoing strike, adding that students should exercise patience as the federal government is working on resolving the strike.
