AS the recession continues to bites more harder in the country, The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have demanded immediate and urgent increase in wages and salaries for workers at all levels of government.
President of NANS, Comrade Aruna Kadiri, speaking on Wednesday during the public hearing of the Senate/House Appropriation Committees on the 2017 Appropriation Bill said that Nigerian workers needed an immediate wage increment salary that would commensurate with their labour and enable them to live decently.
Among other Nigerian students leaders in attendance during the joint session was Comr. Shettima Umar, Vice President National Affairs of NANS.
President Kadiri stated that such increase should take into consideration, the economic realities in the country, especially the continued rise in prices of food, cost of goods and services among others.
“All through the budget, federal government simply refuse to acknowledge in practical terms the reality of state of the workers who have suffered severely from the economic crunch, high inflation and consequences of the galloping exchange rate. NANS therefore demand a commensurate increase in workers' Salaries at the federal, state and local government level,” he said.
The students apex body also demand for better welfare for Nigerian youths under the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC).
“It is grossly inadequate to allocate N500 per day for feeding of corp members considering the realities on ground. Our Corp members should be adequately catered for. NANS also demand better welfare for our corp members,” said President Kadiri.
Furthermore, in pursuance of NANS Charter of demand for adequate and qualitative education in Nigeria, President Kadiri, has called on the federal government to start implementing the 26 percent budgetary allocation to education as recommended by UNESCO which Nigeria is a signatory.
To boast SMEs in the bid to reduce unemployment, NANS called on “government to articulate policy whereby all banks give out loan to Small and Micro businesses at single digit interest rate”.
The association also welcome the rapid development of infrastructure, most especially railway and roads. However, it demand to be part of the team monitoring its implementation.

Akolo Raymond Eggon,
SSA On Media To The NANS President
Wednesday February 15th, 2017