The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has again demanded the sack of Mallam Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education, over the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
The students body made the call over the failure of the minister to proffer solution to the industrial action by the university lecturers, and following the expiration of the two-week ultimatum handed down to Adamu by President Muhammadu Buhari.
CAMPUS GIST recalls that Buhari had on July 19, 2022 issued Adamu a two week-ultimatum to resolve the ASUU strike and ensure students return to classrooms. Although Adamu had denied knowledge of any existing timeframe.
While the ultimatum elapsed without any positive result from the Minister and the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government, ASUU also extended the strike by another four weeks, which is currently in its sixth month.
NANS president, Mr. Sunday Asefon, said it was abundantly clear that the Minister of Education lacked the capacity required to manage such an important ministry as the Ministry of Education.
“He has shown over the years his lack of capacity, know-how, and adequate understanding of the complexity of educational management,” Asefon said in a statement on Wednesday.
“This development calls to question his qualification to be appointed as minister of education in the first place. His total lack of compassion and empathy for the plight of Nigerian students speak volumes.
“Since he became minister ASUU has gone on strike for almost 18 months cumulatively and the entire educational structure of our tertiary education system is in total shamble under his watch.
“It is therefore imperative to call on the President to immediately relieve him of his duty in the ministry and bring in a more competent hand, educated, experienced, physically fit, and willing enough to begin the process of salvaging the debris of the collapse of education system in Nigeria with the hope of rebuilding it,” said the NANS president.
The students body further
said it will leave no stone unturned to ensure that their demands are acceded to.
“We will do all that is required to reawaken the spirit of the Ali-Must-Go to ensure that Adamu-Must Go.
“The nation and well-meaning Nigerians must prevail on the government to fire the minister as this will serve as the only good radiance to the bad rubbish we have witnessed under his leadership of the ministry,” the statement added.