ASUU-F.G Impasse: Education Reporters, Demand Immediate Reopening of Tertiary Institutions

Education reporters in Nigeria, under the aegis of the Education Writers Association of Nigeria, EWAN, staged a peaceful protest to demand the immediate reopening of public universities in the country.

Tertiary institutions in Nigeria have been shut down for months due to strike embarked upon by staff unions, especially members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.

The peaceful demonstration, which took off from the Lagos State Television, LTV Complex in Ikeja, saw the journalists heading for Lagos State House of Assembly complex.

Speaking on why the event was organised, the EWAN Chairman, Mojeed Alabi, said it was basically to present the association’s letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

He added that the association was also calling for reforms of the education sector.

The Special Adviser on Education to the governor of Lagos State, Tokunbo Wahab, who received EWAN’S letter on behalf of the governor, promised to deliver the message.

Wahab, who explained that the state’s tertiary institutions were running, however, called for a change of narrative on the part of ASUU.

Reacting to the demands of EWAN, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa, who was represented by the member representing Ikeja 11 Constituency, Adedamola Kashemu, noted that the state would collaborate with the federal government to address incessant strikes by varsity workers.