Some students of Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki, on Thursday appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene and stop the ongoing strike by university lecturers.
The students said that the ongoing strike in its 4th day was not in the interest of university education and commended lecturers in EBSU for not participating in the strike.
The students, who spoke include Miss Rebecca Okoro, a 200 level student of the Department of Biotechnology as well as Enyinnaya Oko and Stephen Onwe both first year students of the Department of Mass Communication.
They said timely intervention by Jonathan would salvage the situation and appealed to him to act fast to save the university system from collapse.
The students expressed regret that their colleagues affected by the strike had remained at home.
“We commend the wisdom and decision of the local ASUU chapter for not participating in the ongoing industrial action.
“You know we just resumed on May 12 for academic activities after six weeks closure of the institution by the authorities in the wake of violent protests by students over fee hike.
“Joining the strike now will have serious consequences on the students of the university.
“We, however, feel for our colleagues in these affected universities who are now wasting in their respective homes,’’ Okoro said.
The students said that their first semester examination had just started before the commencement of the ASUU strike.
They said that the industrial action embarked upon by the ASUU could distort the smooth running of the academic calendar if nothing was done to end it soon.
The students decried the alleged lack of commitment by the government to the fulfilment of agreements with labour unions.
According to Okoro, the indefinite strike is a setback to the higher education sector.
She called for concerted efforts to end the strike.
“We understand that this agreement was reached between ASSU and Federal Government representatives since 2009 and one wonders why government has refused to implement the terms of the agreement,” she said.
Onwe said: “We completely detest the posturing of government in the whole issue but we are appealing to Mr President to urgently intervene.
“His timely intervention will no doubt facilitate quick resolution of the impasse in the interest of Nigerian students,’’ he said.
Dr Isa Fagge, the National President of ASSU, had directed members of the union to embark on an indefinite strike over the non-implementation of some of the issues contained in their agreement with government in 2009.
He alleged that the government had reneged on the Memorandum of Understanding it signed with the union in December 2011. (NAN)