Abuja - The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Thursday appealed to the Federal Government to resolve the University of Abuja’s lingering crisis to enable final year students of the university to graduate on schedule.
The newly elected President of NANS, Mr Adeyinka Gbadebo, made the call in Abuja at the association’s 27th National Inauguration ceremony with theme: ``Repositioning Nigerian Students for National Socio-political Development’’.
Gbadebo said the crisis had lingered for too long without a solution, noting that if nothing was done, the students would bear the brunt.
He appealed to the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai, to take measures aimed at at ensuring lasting solution to the crisis.
``We want the Federal Government to resolve the crisis in the university speedily; these students have been suffering for months now and our hearts go out to them.
``NANS is not happy because there are many of our mates there that ought to have graduated but are held down by the crisis; we appeal for the minister’s intervention,’’ he said.
Gbadebo also appealed to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to review its new policy, directing students admitted for pre-degree and pre-OND to pay money to JAMB before obtaining a letter.
He alleged that the policy would lead to the exploitation of students by the board and should therefore, be reviewed.
Earlier, the Imo Governor, Mr Rochas Okorocha, urged the students to have attitudinal change so as to be productive members of the society.
Okorocha said that youths were the pivot upon which any country was built, adding that Nigeria with its abundant wealth needed youths with vision to champion the cause of its development.
He said that youths needed not wait for white-collar jobs but should be self-reliant and industrious.
NAN