The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NANS

  • ‘Stop attacking Oduah’

    The executives of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have urged Nigerians to stop attacking the Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, on the two armoured cars the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) bought for her.

    The union advised the public to allow the panel President Goodluck Jonathan set up on the matter to conclude its job.

    The students’ body noted that this was imperative because pro- and anti-Oduah groups have been trading words on the matter, when the allegation had not been ascertained.

    It described the matter as overblown.

    NANS President Yinka Gbadebo and Secretary Daniel Momodu, yesterday, decried the manner the public and the media have been handling the matter.

    They said some salient areas on the matter were not being considered.

    Stressing that the presidential panel be allowed to analyse and ascertain whether or not there was a foul play in the purchase of the cars, Gbadebo said the continuity of the aviation reforms under Ms Oduah should be the focus.

  • NANS’ protest disrupts Independence celebration in Ibadan

    NANS’ protest disrupts Independence celebration in Ibadan

    •Students urge govt to honour agreement with ASUU

    Nigeria’s 53rd Independence Anniversary celebration was disrupted yesterday in some parts of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone D (Southwest), who barricaded major roads and halted activities for over three hours.

    The students were protesting the underfunding of universities and the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    Over 1,000 students gathered at Agbowo around 9:30am, walking through Mokola Roundabout, Total Garden, Agodi-Gate to Iwo road Roundabout.

    They sang anti-government songs, accusing the Federal Government of insensitivity and demanded adequate funding for the education sector.

    The protest was supervised by divisional police officers from divisions in Ibadan, who were in Hilux vans, to prevent hoodlums from hijacking it.

    NANS Southwest Coordinator Monsuru Adeyemo (a.k.a Socrates) said there was urgent need to save the education sector from total collapse.

    Adeyemo said: “Despite Nigeria’s stupendous wealth, public education, from the primary to tertiary level, is bedevilled by lack of adequate facilities for teaching, learning and research. Hostel facilities in the few schools where they still exist are dilapidated and insufficient. That is why over 10 million children are out of school in Nigeria.

    “Only this year, about 1.7 million candidates sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and due to the available space in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, less than 29 per cent of the candidates will be admitted, thus leaving out over 1.2 million.

    “We had to actively join the struggle to force the government to implement the agreements with unions, so that tertiary institutions can be re-opened. If this agreement is fully implemented, it will mean better funding for education and a great relief to overburdened students.

    “We want the Federal Government to honour the agreements signed with staff unions; proper funding of compulsory, free and quality education from primary to the tertiary level; reinstatement of all politically-victimised student leaders; rejection of any form of harassment, intimidation or humiliation of Nigerian students by the government, school management and staff; outright rejection of the Suswan Committee; no to police attacks and killing of students; proper payment of SIWESS allowances to all universities, polytechnics, monotechnics, colleges of education, vocational and technical studies.”

  • ‘NANS has become a tool for politicians’

    ‘NANS has become a tool for politicians’

    Jude Ezeibe, a student of Agric Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), is the president of the National Association of Abia State Students (NAASS). In this interview with EMMANUEL AHANONU (Political Science, University of Calabar), he speaks on the challenges of being a students’ leader.

    Why did you join students’ unionism?

    It is because I have the passion to serve my fellow students and be their voice, so that they can be heard. I want to make sure that their welfare is guaranteed every time.

    What are your objectives?

    I want to give a voice to students. I also want to take the association of Abia students to a level where it will be respected by the government and the people as the mouthpiece of youths. Through our activities, we want to ensure that the Abia State government implements policies that will make the less-privileged among us to be proud of being an indigene of the state. I have also said my administration would pursue the disbursement of bursary and scholarship to students so that the indigent among us can go to school.

    Is there hope that the Abia government would pay bursary?

    Of course! In fact, it is not being hoped for; it is being implemented. Since the creation of the state in August 1991, no government has deemed it necessary to pay bursary to students. This is why we must commend Governor Theodore Orji for taking steps to address students’ issues. So, we know the governor keeps promises and that we are expecting that he would not renege on his promise on bursary.

    What are the challenges of leading Abia State students?

    The challenges are enormous. But I must confess that the students are one of the challenges. Everyone expects to be attended to with the speed of light; they don’t even bother that we are also students. However, the greatest challenge has been funding. Notwithstanding, we have been trying our best and it is evident in the peace we have experienced since we were sworn in.

    Do you think the association has fared better under Governor Orji?

    Much of the success we have recorded was achieved because of the support and understanding of the governor, who is running a student-friendly administration. There has never been anytime we called on him on students’ issues and he ignored us. He has shown that he is a father to us. To show that he is serious about students’ welfare, he appointed one of us, Comrade Afulike Christian, as Special Adviser on Students’ Matters. But then, there are other promises including a bus to make running the association easy. We hope he will keep his promise.

    What is your opinion on NANS crisis?

    NANS is being turned to a political organisation, where money is playing a major role. It is painful to see this kind of things happening to a noble association that had played a vital role in democratic struggle of the nation. I am a member of NANS and I would not be happy hearing unprintable things about the association. It is even painful that the association is now being used by politicians for hooliganism. I use this medium to implore NANS officials to resolve their differences and chart a common agenda for students.

    What is your advice for Abia students?

    Let them be steadfast in their academic pursuit. They must continue to be law-abiding and diligent in everything they do because the future belongs to us. They must know that there is no sweet without sweat.

  • ‘NANS has become a tool for politicians’

    Why did you join students’ unionism?

    It is because I have the passion to serve my fellow students and be their voice, so that they can be heard. I want to make sure that their welfare is guaranteed every time.

    What are your objectives?

    I want to give a voice to students. I also want to take the association of Abia students to a level where it will be respected by the government and the people as the mouthpiece of youths. Through our activities, we want to ensure that the Abia State government implements policies that will make the less-privileged among us to be proud of being an indigene of the state. I have also said my administration would pursue the disbursement of bursary and scholarship to students so that the indigent among us can go to school.

    Is there hope that the Abia government would pay bursary?

    Of course! In fact, it is not being hoped for; it is being implemented. Since the creation of the state in August 1991, no government has deemed it necessary to pay bursary to students. This is why we must commend Governor Theodore Orji for taking steps to address students’ issues. So, we know the governor keeps promises and that we are expecting that he would not renege on his promise on bursary.

    What are the challenges of leading Abia State students?

    The challenges are enormous. But I must confess that the students are one of the challenges. Everyone expects to be attended to with the speed of light; they don’t even bother that we are also students. However, the greatest challenge has been funding. Notwithstanding, we have been trying our best and it is evident in the peace we have experienced since we were sworn in.

    Do you think the association has fared better under Governor Orji?

    Much of the success we have recorded was achieved because of the support and understanding of the governor, who is running a student-friendly administration. There has never been anytime we called on him on students’ issues and he ignored us. He has shown that he is a father to us. To show that he is serious about students’ welfare, he appointed one of us, Comrade Afulike Christian, as Special Adviser on Students’ Matters. But then, there are other promises including a bus to make running the association easy. We hope he will keep his promise.

    What is your opinion on NANS crisis?

    NANS is being turned to a political organisation, where money is playing a major role. It is painful to see this kind of things happening to a noble association that had played a vital role in democratic struggle of the nation. I am a member of NANS and I would not be happy hearing unprintable things about the association. It is even painful that the association is now being used by politicians for hooliganism. I use this medium to implore NANS officials to resolve their differences and chart a common agenda for students.

    What is your advice for Abia students?

    Let them be steadfast in their academic pursuit. They must continue to be law-abiding and diligent in everything they do because the future belongs to us. They must know that there is no sweet without sweat.

     

  • Why we are not supporting ASUU strike, by NANS

    Why we are not supporting ASUU strike, by NANS

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has always backed the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on strikes but not on this one, why?

    You know you can deceive some people sometimes; but you cannot deceive all the people all the time. What Nigerians expected from NANS is to pour into the street in protest in support of ASUU. We studied the situation in the past and discovered that the point at which ASUU calls off strike is the time in which they are granted increment in salary, emolument and entitlement which translates into improved welfare package for them. Is ASUU telling us all other demands are secondary? Their actions in the past pointed in that direction since they had been striking and they had not been getting it?

    So, we students realised if we allowed this trend to continue, we will equally be a pawn to ASUU. I have seen the agreement, and having studied it, realised some of those demands as ridiculous. However, we still believe they are demanding their rights; but in demanding their rights, they should not allow Nigerians to continue suffering by staying at home.

    Are you absolving the government of perennial poor funding of education generally?

    We cannot shy away from the fact that education is being underfunded in Nigeria. But in telling Government to increase funding, we must not create any problem that will further compound the education. I may not be able to tell the government or ASUU so so amount is what is needed for capital projects, but what everybody knows in this country today is that allocation to education is not enough. But then, Rome was not built in a day. Rather than heat up the polity by accusing the government on all fronts, ASUU should accept what government has, get back to work and continue the process of rebuilding. The Federal Government has also disbursed out N100 billion to universities already. It is also interesting to know that this is the first time in history that state-owned universities are benefitting from Federal Government largesse.

    What NANS is saying is that government should increase funding for education and every academic bodies in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education should go back to work first, and then devise other means of negotiation.

    Has NANS also met with the government? Besides, where did you get a copy of the 2009 Agreement you are distributing here?

    Yes! In fact, I wrote two letters the same day, one to the Federal Government and the other to ASUU for consultation. The Federal Government directed Governor (Gabriel) Suswam to meet with us; and that was where we got these documents from. Governor Suswam told us to go and crosscheck the document with ASUU and if it is different then we can take further action. But we have been calling ASUU for a meeting. So far, the only people that we have met are ASUU representatives. But the leadership of ASUU is personified in Fagge and without meeting him, we believe we have not met ASUU. I am challenging ASUU National President to a public debate for ASUU to show it has nothing to hide. And let the Nigerians be the judge whether this strike is justified or not.

    Don’t you think you are being sponsored by the government to attack ASUU?

    The aspect that NANS is being sponsored to fight ASUU is a normal thing. If we had gone into the streets to say the government is bad and wicked and all that, nobody would have said ASUU has given us money. I can say this categorically that there are some elements ASUU is sponsoring to victimise me. If anybody says we have collected money from the government, let them come and mention the names, where and when.

    The ASUU OAU (Obafemi Awolowo University) where I’m still a student, has threatened that I’m not going to graduate. But I tell them that it is God who can only decide that. I am convinced I’m doing what I’m doing with pains of past experience of NANS in the hands of ASUU. We have had many past NANS presidents who spent between 12 and 18 years before graduating because ASUU swore to them that they would not graduate. Let nobody preaches the holier, than thou message to us again. The Bible says you shall know the truth; and the truth shall set you free.

    Rumour of your purported impeachment filtered into the public by an online medium saharareporters.com. Is it true?

    First, NANS has no senate president for now. The former Senate President Comrade Donald Onukuagwu died on June 13, this year, with four other union leaders. So, the purported communiqué was signed by a fictitious name. It stated that the impeachment was perfected at NANS congress in Effurun. Go and make your investigation very well, there was no NANS meeting ever held in Effurun. One Jubril that was mentioned in the communiqué is my Vice President national Affairs. Jubril is from ABU Zaria, and he has since issued a rejoinder on his facebook page denouncing the communiqué. He should have been here with us but for some pressing issues. The deputy Senate president of NANS is John Shema from Benue State University Makurdi. The fictitious person behind the name never stated his institution therefore he is not known to NANS. We believe the meeting that we held yesterday (Tuesday) got the attention of our detractors who felt the only way we can be distracted is to bring out a false impeachment notification. We have our insinuation on where the move came from and we are making efforts to bring the perpetrators to book. I Comrade Yinka Gbadebo still remain the National President of NANS.

     

     

     

     

     

    You suggested that ASUU should devise other means of claiming what belongs to them. Why don’t you suggest these means since the government only understands the language of strike?

    ASUU can take the Federal Government to court. I still believe the judiciary system we have in Nigeria today may not be perfect though, it will still deliver justice the way it ought to on this matter. If ASUU’s case has merit, the court will do the needful.

     

  • NANS calls on FG, ASUU to end feud

    The Rivers State  chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Monday called on the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to end their feud.

    The leader of the group, Mr Jonas Adokiye, who made the appeal while addressing government house officials in Port Harcourt, said the lingering strike was doing harm to students.

    He said the strike had turned most of the students into armed robbers and prostitutes, noting that some students had engaged themselves in various kinds of criminal activities, due to idleness.

    The unionist urged well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on ASUU and the Federal Government to return to the negotiation table.

    Adokiye who is also the Director of Action and Mobilisation of NANS, also called for the appointment of a senior special assistant to the governor to oversee student matters.

    He pleaded with the Rivers Government to also provide buses to ease movement of students in Rivers, appealing  for the payment of bursary to students.

    The Permanent Secretary in the Rivers State Government House, Mr Fortune Oguru, commended the group for conducting themselves peacefully.

    He appealed to students to be patient, promising to pass their message to the governor, whom he said, was away on official assignment.

    Oguru assured the students that the outcome of the negotiations between government and ASUU would ensure better learning and teaching. (NAN)

  • NANS gives Fed Govt seven-day ultimatum on ASUU strike

    Lagos State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has given the Federal Government seven days to end the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.

    The students gave the ultimatum at a press conference held at International Press Centre in Ogba, Lagos.

    NANS Chairman, Lagos chapter, Yakub Eleto, said: “The consequences of the ASUU’s industrial action have been dire for Nigerian students. We know that there would be no development in the face of instability in the education sector. Government must save our education system from collapse.”

    The group said the federal Government should not toy with the future of students, saying their plight must be put into consideration.

    Yakubu warned that the association would mobilise students against the President Goodluick Jonathan-led administration should it fail to end the strike and restore the glory of Nigeria’s education system in seven day.

    The students’ body also called fo a state of emergency in the sector.

    The association urged managements of higher institutions to reinstate proscribed students’ union.

    The statement reads: “We demand reduction of tuition fees in Ekiti State University (EKSU) and Lagos State University (LASU). The increment is not sustainable in an economy being distorted by the policies of International Monetary Fund (IMF) which is not interested in the development of Third World countries. If the strike is not called off in the next seven days, we shall embark on massive nationwide protests.”

  • Kogi NANS alleges threat to members’ lives

    The Kogi State branch of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has alleged threats to the lives of its members following the association’s vote-of-no-confidence in Governor Idris Wada’s education policy.

    NANS, last week, passed a vote-of-no-confidence in the governor’s management of the education sector.

    A statement yesterday in Lokoja, the state capital, by the National Welfare Director/Kogi State Coordinator of NANS, Miss Blessing Alaofin, said:

    “Ever since we passed a vote-of-no-confidence in Captain Wada, the members of our Education Assessment Team, headed by the PRO, have been threatened by agents of the government for condemning the governor for not doing so much in the area of education in the state…

    “Our lives are now in danger for voicing what we believed was wrong. We …plead with the public to come to our aid as several attempts have been made to arrest some of the team’s members in Lokoja at the weekend…”

    But the government yesterday described the allegations as ridiculous and mischievous.

    Through his Special Adviser, Media and Strategy, Jacob Edi, the governor said his administration had not had any misunderstanding with students.

    “That is why the government appointed a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Affairs. This appointment is deliberately to cater for the welfare of the students,” Edi said.

     

  • NANS passes vote-of-no-confidence in Wada

    NANS passes vote-of-no-confidence in Wada

    •Governor’s spokesman: Allegtions ridiculous

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has criticised Kogi State Governor Idris Wada on the state of the education sector in the state.

    The association said it has passed a vote-of-no-confidence in the governor for his alleged inconsiderate attitude to the sector.

    In a statement yesterday by its National Welfare Director/Kogi State NANS Coordinator, Miss Blessing Alaofin, the association rated the level of attention given to the education sector in Kogi State “very low”.

    It added: “We have confirmed that the reports, which said Kogi State earmarked over N100 million for scholarship, are false; they are mere facade.

    “It has been noted that ever since the present administration started in Kogi State, there has been no development in the state’s education sector.

    “It is believed that education is a right and not a privilege, but the reverse is the case in Kogi State. The people voted the governor in and it is time he showed them they did not make a mistake doing so. A lot of hardship has been put on parents in sending their children to primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the state. Parents can no longer afford to send their children to school because of high school fees.

    “We wonder if the governor, during his time as a student, paid one-quarter of what he expects the students to pay now. The common student welfare package by the government (bursary), which students enjoyed in past years, is no longer in place; he has totally neglected the students.”

    But the government said the allegations were false.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy Mr Jacob Edi said the Wada administration placed emphasis on the education sector.

    He saidthe first place the governor visited when he assumed office was a school, adding that there has not been a strike in Kogi State since Wada became governor.

     

     

     

     

    “Another educational problem in Kogi State is that teachers’ salary is poor. There are many pupils and students still learning under the trees.

    “It’s high time this suffering ended. The students will not hesitate to protest.

    It’s not too late for him to resign, anyway. We, the youths and students are tired of his negligence over our welfare. We need change and development…”

     

     

    “NANS cautions anyone or political party without reasonable plans for the masses, especially towards the development of education not to contest or even paste posters for campaign because the Nigerian students and youth will no longer hesitate to campaign against such person.

    “We charge youth leaders to come out boldly in the next general elections to contest for various elective positions to include the office of the President, Governor, and Local Government Chairman.

    In the meantime, the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) urges the government of Kogi under Captain Idris Wada to take holistic approaches in order to resuscitate the moribund educational system of the State.

    Moreover, plans have been concluded by NANS to stage the mother of all protests in the state but we are presently fine-tuning strategies at ensuring a peaceful demonstration to register our displeasure to the state governor over his government’s insensitivity to the welfare of the students and parents in the state.

    Also, we call for the immediate removal of the Commissioner for

    Education in the state, Mrs. Grace Elebiyo who has failed to ensure qualitative overhaul of the state educational system; we see her as not too capable to salvage the situation.

     

  • Rivers Crisis: NANS President sues for peace

    •Urges ASUU to call off strike

    Gladiators in the Rivers State crisis have been urged to sheath their swords and work towards the attainment of a united and peaceful Nigeria.

    President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS) Yinka Gbadebo, made this known in a statement issued in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, yesterday. He observed that the events in Rivers-State, if not curtailed, may derail our fragile democracy.

    Contrary to a statement credited to one John Shima who parades himself as acting Senate President that NANS was going to mobilise against the presidency, Gbadebo said NANS has not taken any official position and that Shima lacks the authority to talk on behalf of the association.

    He said that the statement was master-minded by some disgruntled elements who reap in time like this, adding that he was surprised that things like that could emanate from Shima, the Deputy Senate President at a time they are still mourning the passage of the late NANS senate president, Donald Onukaogu. Donald Onukaogu and four others recently died in an auto crash while on an intervention to the University of Uyo.

    Urging government at all levels to find lasting solution to the insurgency in the north, Gbadebo said that the huge government spending on defence and the unabated terror of Boko Haram has shown that only economic justice can permanently resolve the Boko Haram and related menace.

    He advised President Goodluck Jonathan to act as the father of the nation, by calling on actors in the Rivers State crisis to come together and find lasting peace to the problem.

    On the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Gbadebo observed that the position of NANS remains the same.

    He advised ASUU to return to class in the interest of Nigerian students while continuing their negotiations with the Federal Government.

    According to Gbadebo, “The myriad of problems in the education sector requires all stakeholders to come together and articulate a common demand. A situation where one union shuts the entire education system is not only counter-productive but unhealthy in the face of global competitiveness. He therefore warned the lecturers against attempts at keeping students at home longer than necessary, as it portends a great danger to their future.