“Stop Paying Lecturers If They Refuse to Go Back to School” – NANS, NAPS Demand During Protest
Today, the 19th of August, 2020 Nigerian students under the umbrella bodies of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), national Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), National Association of University Students (NAUS) and National Association of Nigerian College of Education Students (NANCES) have all gathered at the Unity Fountain, FCT Abuja to protest the continued closure of schools amidst covid19
The National President of NAPS, comrade Adekanbi Sunday who spoke to news men at the ongoing peaceful protest by concerned students said that students had stayed home for more than necessary.
He questioned the logic behind closing of schools whereas Churches, Markets, Work places have since been opened and that the closure had become longer than necessary.
Students gathered amidst security presence at the protest venue
In his words, Mr. Adekanbi said “we are here today to demand the reopening of our schools and campuses, The Federal government must realize that ASUU cannot dictate to them when to reopen schools, lecturers are at home doing nothing and yet are getting paid their salaries, it is either they resume classes and work for their money and other entitlement or the federal government should stop paying their salaries,”
Students demonstrating at the venue
“For many students, their house rents have expired, they school fees is counting, final year students cannot graduate in peace, this is only equal to sabotage and delay of the destiny of our students, we therefore call on the government to reopen our campuses”, he concluded.
Dio addressing students
The Coordinator of NANS Zone C, Abah Owoicho and Senate President of NAPS, Comrade Dio Rex Oghale also spoke about the closure of schools.
Dio Speaking with newsmen
Mr Dio said “we are tired, let us look at it this way, people go to church, mosque, market, attend weddings and other events, domestic flights have resumed, people still contact themselves through all these means, why then should schools be closed?”
He concluded by saying that schools are centers for research where further work and investigations can be carried out about covid19, they therefore want their campuses to be reopened.
