SPEC MOURNS THE DEATH OF 2 NSUK STUDENTS DURING THE STRUGGLE FOR PALLIATIVES.
Press Statement
28/3/2024
SPEC MOURNS THE DEATH OF 2 NASSARAWA STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DURING THE STRUGGLE FOR PALLIATIVES.
- That Citizens and Students of the so-called biggest Country in Africa now have to resort to scavenging and scampering for food and dying in the process, is a bleak commentary on the state of the country.
- We demand adequate compensation for the families of the deceased Students.
- An end to the poorly co-ordinated, selective food palliative system.
- A comprehensive Citizens-led, Country-wide #EndHunger Protest should resume immediately.
The Save Public Education Campaign (SPEC), joins the entire Staff and Students of the Nasarrawa State University, Keffi, to mourn over the avoidable death of her two students, Ms. Rose Michael, a 400level Student of the Psychology Department and Ms. Grace Danladi Enupe, level 200 of Computer science department, on the eve of Friday, 22nd March this Year.
We hold that the painful death of these two young and bright Students was not just tragic but avoidable being that were studying and living conditions made conducive for Students, the deceased Students would not have had any need in the first place to resort to scampering for rations of Staples. We therefore place both the blame and responsibility for their deaths on the worsening economic crisis of the government, occasioned by anti-masses and anti-workers Policies of the government, as the floating of the Naira, Fuel Subsidy removal without stabilizing measures, etc which have plunged millions of Citizens into hunger and deep poverty.
These policies have caused a sharp surge in the prices of staple foods, way beyond the reach of the common People.
As we have severally made clear, removing subsidy on Fuel or deregulating Naira is purely antithetical and then turning around and returning the same subsidy as Wage Awards and Discounts on Food items. We believe that the government should first ensure optimal local production, price regulation and market availability of Foods and Items before implementing Policies that have the potential to affect the prices of staple foods.
We are therefore deeply saddened that these 2 Nasarrawa students were unfortunate victims of the impacts of these poorly thought-out, unpopular Policies of the government of the day.
The death of Ms Rose Michael and Ms. Grace Danladi Enupe is therefore a national loss for which the deceased families should be properly compensated. Importantly also, we demand an end to the food palliative system as it lacks any potential to genuinely resolve the fundamental hunger crisis of Nigerians. The temporal discount/free food being offered does not get to even 10 per cent of the real Masses. More fundamentally, it is purely ephemeral and cosmetic as it only lasts for fleeting moments before the Hunger Crisis hits again.
Instead of these cosmetic Palliatives, the government should rather implement sustainable economic policies that will ensure market stability and strengthen the financial capacity of the Masses to purchase Items.
In the same vein, we believe that the recent staggered #EndHunger Protests need not wind down at this time, as the problem not only persists but has become even more widespread. We therefore call on the united Labour Fronts, Student Bodies and CSOs to begin mobilisation to resume the #EndHunger Protest, which should be indefinite until the status quo changes.
The leadership of these Fronts must properly mobilize, canvass and prepare their members for a total, comprehensive and effective Protest Action that will cut across every layer of the working people, old, young and Students. Anything to the contrary will only see and lead to the reinforcement of the crippling Hardships that the masses of the Citizenry are currently facing and the avoidable tragedies that occasion the same.
Signed;
Damilola Owot
Secretary, SPEC