The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said the Nigerian government is inflicting hardship on lecturers and students.
Speaking on Friday at a press conference held at the University of Lagos, the Lagos Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Adelaja Odukoya, explained that it was imperative to update Nigerians about the events that had transpired after the last nationwide strike that was suspended on Friday, October 14, 2022; the union’s interactions with the present administration since inception, and the possible consequences of the lack of notable actions on the part of the authorities.
ASUU had overtime lamented about the government’s refusal to fulfil the agreements it had with the union.
He said, “We are calling attention to the government’s consistent insensitivity when it comes to agreements and the well-being of patriotic scholars in the Nigeria public universities.
“The government has persisted in inflicting misery on lecturers and students in Nigeria, despite their sincere efforts to elevate our public universities to global standard.
“ASUU is unfazed in its patriotic endeavours. To reposition the Nigerian university system, we call on other patriots in the media, labour movement, student organisations, and civil society organisations to join ASUU in the rejection of the government’s master-slave posture on labour matters.”
Odukoya insisted that in spite of its promises ahead of assuming office, the Bola Tinubu administration had failed to liveup to expectations in respect of the issues that had been at the forefront of the union’s recent strike actions, the last being from February to October 2022.
Some of the unresolved issues Odukoya highlighted are renegotiation of FGN/ASUU 2009 Agreement, withheld salaries, unpaid Arrears of Earned Academic Allowance, removal from Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, Public Universities and the Treasury Single Account, and proliferation of universitiesuniversities.
Speaking on TETFUND and foreign partnerships, Odukoya said, “As if the abused and violation of TETFUND by government are not enough, our union has further noted reports in the media, not refuted, of TETFUND’s intention to help Kings College, London to establish a medical school in Nigeria in the name of partnership.
“We urge the leadership of the Fund to provide further update on this proposed course of action, and allay fears that it is contemplating funds meant for the development of Nigerian institutions for the development of foreign ones. We believe very strongly that there are many areas in which the agency can strengthen its interventions to the benefit of Nigerian universities.”
Other issues are lack of funding for revitalisation of universities, and recall of the sacked five ASUU-LASU officials and release the White Paper on LASU 2021 Visitation Report.
