Crisis has broken out within the ranks of the National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS) over the inability of the leadership of the association meet the State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola to discuss issues surrounding the bursary.
While members of the association, particularly, the Chapter presidents are mounting pressure on the leadership, the President of the Association, Comrade Wasiu Sanusi told InsightMedia that the students may take to the streets to protest against the government.
Sanusi berated the inability of his administration to access the governor to discuss matters that affect students populace, adding that all letters written seeking an audience with Governor Oyetola got no response.
“We’re still wondering what is going on? All our letters, about seven of them, seeking an audience with the Governor got no response. We are aware that some powerful individuals are blocking us from meeting with the Governor to discuss matters that affect the students. We can’t continue like this. It’s almost eight months since I took over and we have been on this since then. If our request is not granted, we may resort to street protest to tell the world what our grievances against the Governor Oyetola-led administration is.
“We are not fools, we understand the state of Osun finances but we must be listened to and be talked to as stakeholders that we’re.
“To the chapter presidents, I don’t think I owe them any explanation. When we meet the Governor, they will hear from him,” Sanusi concluded.
According to a statement sighted by InsightMedia, chapters presidents are lamenting the lack of bursary support to students for over eight years. They said the association almost folded up in tertiary institutions across the country.
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The statement party reads, “We would recall that this year corresponds eight (8) years the students of this state in various higher institutions across the nation collected the bursary award last from the government of this state, (2013-2021). This is an unfair treatment. From our findings, the level of the challenges facing by the chapter Presidents from the members of NAOSS in our various institutions across the nation has gotten to an unbearable point which is capable of affording these chapters to fold up as members are no more interested in the association due to lack of benefits from their participations.
“It’s also obvious that the national leaders of this association are not ready to defend our interests particularly on this demand of bursary award which we believe is the only thing a reasonable number of NAOSSITES can benefit from. A reference point to the above statement is a failure of the national body to act as promised in the last congress held on the 3rd of June, 2021 at the NUJ press centre, Osogbo. That the leadership of the national body would write the Mr. Governor for a dialogue between the government and all the concerned bodies of Osun State.”
When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Oyetola on Students’ Matters and Social Mobilization, Comrade Kehinde Ayantunji said arrangements has been made and the students leaders will meet the Governor any moment from now.
“We have made the arrangement, they (NAOSS leaders) will meet the Governor any moment from now”. Ayantunji told InsightMedia.
