ASUU STRIKE UPDATE: UNIABUJA STUDENTS OFFERS TO PAY LECTURES

After pleading with the Federal
Government and the striking lecturers
to no avail, the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT) chapter of the National
Association of Nigerian Students
(NANS), have vowed to embark on a
fund raising mission to pay the
lecturers of the University of Abuja
Chapter of the Academic Staff Union
of Universities (ASUU).
According to the Chairman NANS
(FCT), Comrade Adediwura Ismaeel
Adesina:"So far Nigerian students
have tried their best and we have
realized that Nigerian government
and ASUU have exhausted our
patience. We went on different
peaceful protests in FCT for them to
know our plights and at the end of
the day nothing was done. ASUU
continues to agitate for this money
even as the Federal Government
keeps saying that there is no money.
We begged ASUU to return to classes
it refused while our future is in
jeopardy. That is why the National
Association of Nigerian Students,
Joint Campuses Committee FCT axis
now decided that since that is the
case, the students can pay ASUU. "
He said since the entire NANS can no
longer reach a consensus on the
ASUU strike, the FCT chapter decided
to tackle on the challenges of the
University of Abuja that is within its
jurisdiction.
On how the students will raise the
money, Adesina said: "The
stakeholders and NANS of FCT have
now declared a month rag service in
FCT. We will move around from
November 1 to the end of November.
We will move from one office to
another, streets and different
markets. We will talk to our parents,
talk to our brothers around FCT and
we know from the one month rag
days, we will be able to raise
substantial amount to pay ASUU."
He explained that since the FCT
NANS does not have the financial
capacity to pay the entire ASUU, it
will battle to settle the only
university in the territory-University
of Abuja.
He promised that for transparency
and accountability, the union will
announce its daily collections on
radios and televisions stations.