Former presidential spokesman and Arise News anchor Reuben Abati has criticized the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for conducting inspections of federal road projects and submitting findings to the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi. Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Thursday, Abati argued that students should be focused on their academic studies rather than engaging in what he described as political activities.
The controversy stems from a nationwide Federal Roads Project Tour led by NANS President Comrade Babatunde Akinteye Afeez. The student delegation inspected infrastructure developments in parts of the North-West geopolitical zone, including Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, and Sokoto states. Following the tour, the students commended the quality, durability, and pace of construction on the visited projects, while also identifying specific areas requiring additional attention, such as pedestrian bridges at intersections between major highways and tertiary institution access routes.
Minister Umahi received the report from the NANS delegation, noting that he was particularly impressed by the students' initiative to independently request access to project sites across the six geopolitical zones. According to Umahi, the students declined logistical assistance offered by the Ministry of Works, insisting they wanted to observe the projects firsthand to form their own independent assessments.
Abati, however, dismissed the exercise as "curious," questioning why Nigerian students are taking on roles traditionally reserved for government officials or oversight bodies. He stated, "Please how is it that Nigerian students are now the ones going about inspecting road projects? These are students, NANS is an association of students. Why are these students not focusing on their studies? Why are they becoming politicians going about inspecting projects and giving reports to the minister?"
The former spokesman contrasted the current behavior of students with his own experience, asserting that previous generations of students were "very serious people" who prioritized staying on campus and attending classes. "But now students are inspecting road projects and I find that very curious," Abati concluded.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
