203
 |
| Some of the protesting students |
University students took to the streets for the second straight day on Thursday in protest against the strike embarked by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
Tagging themselves โThe University of Streetsโ, the protesters walked along the Ugbowo-Lagos expressway in Benin-City.
The walk was expected to terminate at the Ring-Road area of the city.
Other students and concerned Nigerians were scheduled to join the students in protest at Ring Road.
On Wednesday, the students had taken their protest to the King Square area of the city, demanding an end to the strike.
They said they are tired of staying at home, cut off from their academic pursuits.
While they appealed to the relevant authorities to look into the issues that led to the strike for a resolution to be reached, the students lamented watching their dream of graduating suffer stagnation.
ASUU embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14.
On March 14, the union extended the industrial action by another two months to allow the government meet all of its demands.
The academics are seeking improved welfare, revitalisation of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands.
One bone of contention for the academics is the non-payment of university revitalisation funds, which amounts to about N1.1 trillion.
But the Federal Government has said it doesnโt have the money to pay such an amount, citing low oil prices during the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The agreement was reportedly struck in 2009.
Another is the issue of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The academics have proposed an alternative payroll system, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).
