The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has described as wicked, selfish and insensitive the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) position that the federal government must pay them six months’ salary arrears for the period they were on strike. ASUU has said the payment of the salaries arrears is a prerequisite to calling off its industrial action.
However, NANS said such demand had portrayed ASUU as pursuing a narrow self-interest of members against its early stand of fighting to revamp the education sector it had made the public believe.
The students’ body said this in a statement signed by its National President, Sunday Asefon and made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti.
Asefon said NANS had since the commencement of the strike advocated in favour of ASUU, positing that the current demand by striking lecturers was not only disappointing and frivolous but represented the pursuit of narrow interest.
The NANS leader counselled the lecturers against acting like employers even when they are employees, saying it flies in the face of law to be demanding payment for services they didn’t render.
“However, we condemn in totality, the insistence of ASUU on the payment of a six-month arrears salary for jobs not done.”