The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the Anambra State Government to urgently reopen the state Polytechnic, Mgbakwu shutdown last week following protest by the students.
National Director of Sports, NANS, Anthony Ojiaku, who read text of the briefing by the association in Awka, said keeping the students out of campus has obvious negative implications.
TVC News Bamidele Ajayi reports that the students alleged that the school has failed accreditation by the Nigeria Monotechnics and Polytechnic commission, which has denied them the opportunity to participate in the one year compulsory National Youths service corps (NYSC).
The students trooped to the streets of Awka, carrying placards with different inscriptions and terminated their protest at the government house Awka, to drive home their demands.
This approach employed by the students was received with a negative response, which led to the closure of the school, pending the civil unrest of the students subsides.
However, the closure infuriated many civil society organizations, including the National Association of Nigerian Students NANS, requesting for speedy intervention of the school’s visitor and governor of the state Mr. Willie Obiano to effect the reopening of the school in the interest of the students.
The President, Anambra State Polytechnic Mgbakwu Students Union Government, Innocent Ikegbunan, said it has been the closure was shocken because the protest was peaceful and legitimate.
Earlier in her remark to douse the protesting students tension, the Anambra state commissioner for Tertiary Education, assured them that the issue of deplorable state of their access roads has been debated upon at the state executive council meeting. He said the contractors are waiting for the rains to subside before completing the ongoing construction work on the Mgbaku-Okpuno and adjourning roads that lead to the school.
