Elizabeth O.
Femi Gbajabiamila Assures Students of Ongoing Efforts to Prevent Impending ASUU Strike
The President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government on Wednesday said that it is working to stop the planned strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, made this known when he hosted a delegation of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), adding that no indigent student would be denied the government’s student loan to be launched in the next three weeks.
Femi Gbajabiamila also urged Nigerian students to speak up against voices condemning the Student Loan Funds policies saying the scheme wass to ensure no student irrespective of their birth circumstances is deprived of quality education.
He added that President Tinubu had through several directives declared an end to the strike by the academic unions in universities and higher institutions.
“There may be another looming ASUU strike, and we are trying to address that, we are looking at issues that concern ASUU, the impending strike and I believe we should be able to avert that as you have said earlier,” he was quoted by Vanguard Newspaper.
He continued: “We can always do our best to avert strikes such as this. Luckily, we have a President who is more than anybody determined that the days of strike are over and left behind. We are hoping to be able to avert the strikes”, he added
“Mr President is determined that we see it through and see it through successfully. It was supposed to be launched in January but it is anything worth doing and it is worth doing well.
“We are hoping it will be launched in the next two to three weeks, we are trying to dot the I(s) and cross the T(s) before it is launched to ensure we have policies that cannot be faulted.”
He added that the student loan scheme, when successfully launched, will become part of the legacies of the present administration.
“Now we are going to need you in the success of this policy because, generally, it is a well-received policy but there may be one or two segments of the society for the reason some people in some quarters may be kicking against it, this policy is for the Nigerian student, it is to make sure that no student is left behind when it comes to education.
“It is to make sure people are not deprived of their education just because of circumstances of their birth that itself is unconstitutional.
“Now that the child of indigent should not be deprived of what should be a right, not to make education a privilege but a right.
“So when voices speak up against it we expect you to rise for support, this is something that you all support, embrace and work towards its success”, he said.
The Chief of Staff also praised youth presence on the Federal Executive Council, stating that the government was working on forming a Youth Advisory Council to advise the President on youth issues and other directives for youth development.
“You have among you two comrades standing in for you in the cabinet, We are mulling the idea that has not come to fruition yet I hope it will come to fruition, we are working assiduously on the Youth Advisory council that will sit from time to time and advise the President on youth matters and other matters that are geared towards youth development. We are hopeful that will come to fruition soon”
