The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has declared that it will not participate in the nationwide protest scheduled for August 1, which aims to address the hardships faced by citizens.
NANS National President, Lucky Emonefe, made this announcement during a meeting with the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, in Abuja on Friday. The meeting was facilitated by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, Sunday Asefon.
Emonefe acknowledged the significant challenges faced by Nigerians due to recent government reforms and policies. He noted that these measures, while intended to promote sustainable development, have caused economic difficulties affecting every household.
Emonefe urged President Bola Tinubu to implement measures to alleviate the hunger resulting from the removal of the fuel subsidy in 2023.
“There is hunger in the land, and Nigerian students are most affected. We are aware that palliatives were given to governors. We are requesting that as the government distributes palliatives, they should remember the student constituencies. Despite our challenges, we have resolved to remain law-abiding and not to participate in any chaos,” Emonefe said.
Earlier, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, acknowledged the rising cost of living in the country and stated that the government is introducing palliatives to ease the hardship. He highlighted the Federal Government’s expanded transformative scholarship program, which supports the education of 45,000 students across the nation. This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to broadening educational access and promoting the academic and professional growth of Nigerian youth.
