As preparations begin for the arrival of the corpse of Comrade Mohammed Dauda, a former National President of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), 2011/2012, who died outside the country, the Association has declared a Seven-Day national action to demand that all essential sectors that enhance life, good living and total development be declared by governments at all levels as emergency sectors.

NANS, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by its President, Chinonso Obasi, called on the Federal Government and indeed governments at all levels, corporate bodies and Nigerians in general to begin conscious efforts to fix the health sector in Nigeria.

The Association recalled that Comrade Dauda died as a result of liver cirrhosis that required transplant, which could not be performed in any hospital in Nigeria.

Obasi said: “In the course of trying to save his life, all manners of delays were deceitfully employed by different hospitals, painfully by government owned hospitals which lack the required facilities, personnel and care deserving of such patients.

“We note with disdain that a nation that prides herself as the Giant of Africa, 57 years after independence from colonial masters could not afford a single health facility, well equipped to manage citizens’ health.

“We are more pained that even those saddled with the responsibilities of providing our populace with medical facilities for their ailments rush to countries not as viable as Nigeria to seek medical care and treatment.

“Nigerians die on a daily basis due to the neglect and non-commitment of the very government elected by them to fix the fundamentals such as health, education, infrastructure and food security. How then are we proud to be called Giants of Africa?

“The health of any of our citizen is as important as the health of our nation. We can no longer continue to pretend that we are on the path of recovery when our productive citizens die of lack of basic medical care and treatment, when education is deteriorating, when food becomes unaffordable and unavailable, when adults and parents can no longer afford to pay rent, school fees or live in a nation that offers no opportunity for her teeming young population.

“The National Secretariat of NANS wishes to direct all student structures and the entire student movement to commence a nationwide mass action beginning from the moment the corpse of our late revered leader and former President, Comrade Mohammed Dauda touches down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

“The methodology and strategy for the peaceful protests shall be communicated accordingly to all in shortest possible time.”

NANS appealed to all authorities to see this resolve as “our gainful contribution to helping our nation prioritise the well-being of her citizenry. While thanking the Niger State Government and the entire Nigerian students for their commitment to saving the life of our departed hero, we assure once again, of our continued patriotism and dedication to nation building.”

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