By Amos Aar
THE National Union of Benue State Students (NUBESS) in collaboration with other students’ unions in the state have given the Federal Government fourteen days (14) ultimatum to settle its differences with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in order to call of the prolonged strike or face a massive protest by the students.
NUBESS National president, Comrade Injorovkaa D. Gaius, stated this at a press conference on Friday in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
Comrade Injorovkaa who lamented that the federal government has turned deaf ears to the industrial action expressed worry that, “for several years now, it has become virtually hard for students to graduate from government-owned institutions without extension to the duration of their courses of study due to incessant strikes.”
The NUBESS president who faulted president Muhammadu Buhari for his failure to end ASUU strike commended Governor Samuel Ortom for having the interest of students at heart. According to him, the Benue State University (BSU) Makurdi has not gone on strike since Ortom came on board as Governor.
“Since he has become the Governor of Benue State, Benue State University has no record of strike. Ortom led administration is not willing to let the Benue Students experience strike,” the NUBESS president stated.
Contrary to the NUBESS president’s claim, a top official of BSU told National Record that the university has embarked on strike twice under Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration. “What do you call this one that is ongoing? Is it not strike? Is BSU not on strike now?
“BSU was on strike when Governor Samuel Ortom came on board in 2015 but he negotiated and the institution reopened. After that, a National ASUU strike took place last year which was during Covid-19 and many people did not know and then we are on strike now. So two strikes have taken place under Governor Samuel Ortom to the best of my knowledge,” the official said.
The student union president, Benue State University Makurdi, Comrade Adih Chocho, who spoke on the side-line of the press conference corroborated what the BSU official said when he called on Governor Samuel Ortom and the State Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Titus Uba, to end the ASUU strike in their own capacity. He cited example about Kogi State where the state owned university has not joined the industrial action which is an indication that a governor is capable of avoiding or calling off an ASUU national strike in his state.
“My question to the Governor, his Deputy and the Speaker is that, have they ever wondered why BSU is on strike? It’s all about solidarity, we have so many universities that are not on strike. I know very well that Kogi State University is not on strike.
“I want to talk to Governor Samuel Ortom, if there is any way BSU students can resume classes as the national strike lingers he should do it and I know he can do it very well. I was supposed to graduate since last year but I’m at home now doing nothing,” Chocho said.
A 300 level BSU student who pleaded anonymity in an interview with National Record wondered whether the NUBESS president spoke for Benue Students or he simply acted a script written by the State Government when he denied that ASUU has never gone on strike under Governor Samuel Ortom administration.
Also speaking on the side-line of the press conference, the Student Union president of Joseph Saawuan Tarka University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Comrade Gundu Mimidoo Joy, said ASUU strike has affected students adversely as some of them became idle and decide to indulge in social vices and cybercrime.
“Recently, we buried a student who committed suicide and left a letter that he died of depression. The ASUU strike is affecting not only us the students, it’s affecting even those who sell on campus, lecturers and others. But when two elephants fight, the ground suffers, so the students are the most affected,” Comrade Gundu lamented.
She expressed worry that the incessant ASUU strikes are making it difficult for Nigerian graduates to get white collar jobs as a result of over age hence the need for the federal government and the striking unions to shift ground in the interest of students.
