…As students protest, ask Buhari to sack of Adamu Adamu, Ngige
The Federal government has described the industrial action embarked by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as unwarranted, adding that it did not receive any notice of strike from the leadership of the Union.
But the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sack the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, for failing to resolve the impasse between ASUU and the government, and restore industrial peace in the universities.
The lecturers declared a one-month nationwide warning strike on Monday over the failure of the Federal Government to implement agreements reached with ASUU. President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke announced the strike action at a news conference in Lagos.
Adamu Adamu and Ngige
The strike is coming barely one year and one month after the protracted one that lasted nine months was suspended by ASUU, with the students arguing that no compensation was made to students for rents paid without occupation, death of students and loss of a full academic calendar among other brunt borne by the students during the period of the strike.
Mallam Adamu Adamu, while reacting to the development, said he was not informed by ASUU that they were going on strike. Adamu spoke through the Director, Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Mr. Ben Bem Goong.
The minister said the Federal government has been implementing the agreements reached with the Union.
But the National President of NANS, Comrade Sunday Asefon, who led scores of students to protest against the strike by ASUU on Monday in Abuja, said President Buhari should remove Adamu and Ngige from office, for failing to take action to avert the strike.
The protesters temporarily blocked the entrance gate to Phase I, Federal Secretariat Complex, housing the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment among others until the intervention of a police officer, Abdullahi A.H, who tried to pacify the students with the promise to arrange a meeting for them with the minister.