NANS to sue minister of education after he asked them to sue ASUU over strike

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has revealed that plans are underway to sue the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu after he asked students to sue the Academic Staff Union of Universities over the lingering strike.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, had called on the association to consider dragging ASUU to court over the prolonged strike. According to the minister, the actions of the union to close schools for six months have greatly hurt students and they should claim damages incurred over the period. He stated that the federal government will not bear the liability of compensating millions of students thwarted for six months over lost time. 

Adamu who spoke during the 47th Session of the State House Ministerial Briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the presidential Villa in Abuja maintained that the government will not give into ASUU’s demand of paying lecturers salaries for the six months they did not work.

Recall that the federal government implemented a ”no work, no pay” policy when the striking lecturers were adamant about calling off the strike. ASUU described the policy as blackmail meant to force lecturers back to the classroom.

Responding to the minister’s stance, ASUU president, Emmanuel Osodeke revealed that if the government is unwilling to pay the backlog of salaries for the period of the strike, lecturers will not continue with lessons from the 2021/2022 session, but would rather start from the 2022/2023 academic session.

NANS President, Sunday Ashefon who reacted to the minister’s comments in a statement issued on Thursday, August 18, said the association would commence consultations to sue the Federal Government and the minister.