By Samuel Ogenyi,Uyo
Students of the University of Uyo,UNIUYO, on Friday staged a peaceful demonstration, calling on the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Unions of Universities,ASUU to resolve their differences to enable students return to school.
The protesting students who blocked the road leading to the Town Campus of the University as early as 9:30.am equally gave the federal government seven days to accede to their request.
In their numbers, they chanted solidarity songs and displayed placards of various descriptions threatening to shut down Aso Rock and the National Assembly if their request is not acceded to within seven days.
Some inscriptions on their placards read, “we want ASUU strike resolved now, “we are tired of staying at home” “our rent is wasting” We cannot wait anymore”
Addressing the students, Cordinator of Zone D, National Associaton of Nigerian Students, NANS, and a mass communication students of UNIUYO, Mr. Etinyene Offongekpe, called for immediate end of the protracted strike by ASUU.
Offingekpe called on both the FG and ASUU to shift grounds and resolve their differencies to enable students return back to school.
“We are sending this message to the federal government and ASUU. We are tired of staying at home, our rents have expired.We want to return and complete the the academic year. We cannot accept this anymore.
“We call on the federal government to key in to the agreement it signed in 2019 and ASUU to shift grounds.We have come to express to the world that we cannot take this anymore.
” We are under instructions from the NANS Secretariat to Shut down Abuja, seven days from now .We are mobilising to move to Abuja, we will shut the National Assembly and the Aso Rock.” He said.
The President Students Union Government of the University, Comrade Emmanuel Akpan,. called on the President Mohammadu Buhari, the National Assembly, Minister of Education and all relevant authorities to settle their grievances with ASUU in order save the education system from collapse.
“The Nigeria students are tired, I am tired, we are all tired. The final year students have been in final year for two years. It is unacceptable.
“We are demonstrating to call on the federal government, the National Assembly, the senators, the minister and all relevant authorities to please settle grievances with ASUU and allow students to return back to school.” Akpan said.
