College students of the College of Benin UNIBEN have protested in opposition to the strike motion embarked upon by the Tutorial Workers Union of Universities (ASUU).
To indicate their anger, the scholars on Wednesday, February 16, barricaded the ever-busy Benin-Ore-Sagamu expressway.
On Monday February 14, ASUU declared a four-week warning strike after its Nationwide Govt Council (NEC) assembly in Lagos. In accordance with the union, the strike is to compel the Federal Authorities to implement the renegotiated 2009 settlement it had with the federal government.
The protesting college students had been of their numbers by the doorway of the Ugbowo campus of the college, chanting slogans and solidarity songs like "aluta continua..." and "education is our right," amongst others.
They expressed their frustration over the incessant strike of college lecturers and urged the federal authorities to heed to ASUU calls for.
A few of the protesting college students carried placards with varied inscriptions reminiscent of "5 years course has turned to 7 years; "FG settle ASUU" and "Enough is Enough." A few of them turned the freeway right into a soccer discipline, taking part in in units whereas the scholars' leaders had been sharing bottles of water, mushy drink, pies, and doughnuts to the demonstrators for refreshment.
The scholars' motion brought on a gridlock on the freeway for about 4 hours, forcing many motorists to keep away from the route whereas these going into the Edo capital needed to divert their methods.
Talking on behalf of the protesting college students, the President of the College students Union Authorities (SUG) within the establishment, Foster Amadin, mentioned
"Since two days now, we have now been to our lessons and there haven't been lecturers to show us. So we have now nothing to do. We requested what was taking place they usually advised us ASUU is on strike once more; that they're on one-month warning strike. So we now felt that we must always come to the road to say we're drained. We hereby categorical our grievances to the federal authorities, to the state authorities and whoever cares to pay attention and. We are saying we're drained. We wish to graduate. For a programme that's presupposed to run for 4 years, we're spending 5 years and much more. We don't need it anymore. Let the federal authorities see to the calls for of ASUU and let ASUU additionally think about the federal authorities's place. All we would like is to return to our lessons. I wish to graduate; I wish to go away the varsity. I'm drained and that's our grievance"