NANS urges Nasarawa government to end university strike

The National Association of Nigerian Students has asked the Nasarawa State Government to urgently settle staff arrears at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, to bring an indefinite strike to an end.

NANS National Treasurer Idris Omeiza made the appeal during a meeting with the university’s management, led by Vice-Chancellor Sa’adatu Liman, at the campus in Keffi. The Academic Staff Union of Universities chapter at NSUK began the strike on August 10 over alleged unpaid entitlements running into billions of naira.

Omeiza acknowledged students’ frustration after the prolonged interruption to academic activities. She urged them to remain calm and peaceful while consultations continue. “We call on the Government of Nasarawa State, as a matter of urgency, to intervene and settle the outstanding arrears owed to university staff in order to facilitate the resolution of the industrial dispute and enable students to return to campus,” she said.

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We call on the Government of Nasarawa State, as a matter of urgency, to intervene and settle the outstanding arrears owed to university staff in order to facilitate the resolution of the industrial dispute and enable students to return to campus.

The meeting followed Liman’s appeal for NANS to help calm students and discourage a planned protest. The vice-chancellor said university management and ASUU had reached an understanding on paying the outstanding arrears, and expressed hope that the government would settle its obligations so students could resume.

“Efforts will be intensified to ensure that students are called back to campus to resume academic activities and continue their session. I appeal to students to remain patient and embrace dialogue while the issues are being resolved,” Liman said. Omeiza also invoked NANS’ “Three Cs” principle: Consultation, Consolidation and Communication before Confrontation. She said she would not support actions that unnecessarily put students at risk.

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Efforts will be intensified to ensure that students are called back to campus to resume academic activities and continue their session. I appeal to students to remain patient and embrace dialogue while the issues are being resolved.