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Tag: ASUU STRIKE

  • Lagos Assembly seeks end to ASUU strike

    Lagos Assembly seeks end to ASUU strike

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has appealed to the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its over four-month-old strike in honour of Prof Festus Iyayi, who died on Tuesday in a motor accident in Kogi State.

    The late writer was on his way to Kano for an enlarged National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting when the convoy of Kogi State Governor Idris Wada crashed into his car and killed him.

    In a statement by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy, Security and Publicity, Segun Olulade, the Assembly noted that “since Iyayi was on a mission for a peaceful resolution to end the strike, the union should consider ending the strike in honour of their late comrade.”

    The statement said: “The nation is undergoing too much travail under the Federal Government as a result of the neglect of basic infrastructure, such as road.”

    The Lagos Assembly said the Okene-Lokoja road has become a death trap in which thousands of innocent Nigerians had died before Iyayi.

    It cautioned the convoys of governors and other top politicians against speeding and reckless driving.

    The Assembly urged them to take a cue from the modest use of convoy by Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN).

    It urged ASUU to consider the plight of Nigerian students and the need to restore Education to its lost glory. The Lagos Assembly appealed to the union to end the strike to save the Education sector.

    It said: “The circumstance that led to Iyayi’s death, if care is not taken, could take a new dimension of agitation and spur actions from the aggrieved lecturers, thereby extending further the strike that was already close to being called off at the time of his death.”

    The Assembly decried the neglect of the Education sector, saying this often resulted in regular strikes.

    It said: “We can get it right on Education and other sectors only if the right things are done on time.”

    The Lagos Assembly sympathised with the family of the late Iyayi and the nation’s academic community.

  • Unfazed by ASUU strike

    Unfazed by ASUU strike

    They are twins who have passion for creating something out of nothing.

    Peter Olowhu and Paul Akem, known as Double P at the Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH), are multi-talented identical twins. They are carving a niche for themselves in various vocations.

    Born in 1990 into the family of Mr and Mrs Inung, both indigenes of Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State, who are Kaduna-based petty fashion designers, the twins in their final year, are surmounting the family challenges with their latent skills.

    Both are gifted in music, fashion designing and interior decorations. They are exhibiting the talents on campus to survive. Peter is studying Civil Engineering while Paul is an Architecture student.

    While activities in CRUTECH are perpetually paralysed because of the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, the twins are smiling to the bank, utilising their gifts to service their colleagues and lecturers.

    When CAMPUSLIFE visited the campus last week, the twin brothers were seen sewing clothing materials for their clients.

    When our correspondent sought to know why they did not go after the campus was closed down, Peter said since they were admitted into the institution, they had never gone back home.

    “We always engaged either in church activities or managing big events but we do communicate with them on phone,” he said.

    Paul added: “We are proud to say that our parents only pay our fees, while we handle the rest. Look at how healthy we are; it is not by our strength but by the grace of God.”

    Peter and Paul started earning money immediately after their admission into CRUTECH.

    “As we were leaving Kaduna for Calabar after our admission, our parents gave us two sewing machines to take along so that we could work while we go to school. We did not turn down the offer because we knew it could fetch us money. In school, we started having customers, who come to amend their torn and oversize clothes; this gave us popularity. We later extended our services to lecturers and non-teaching staff,” Paul said.

    Peter said: “We acquired the skill from our parents who are fashion designers; we started developing interest in tailoring at a tender age. But then, we were doing it as an hobby. Our parents mandated us to be focused on the vocation but we did not take it serious as kids. Rather, we boasted that we wanted to be engineers in future. Later, we started seeing the opportunities in it as we earned little money from amendments we did for customers. From that moment, we gave full attention to the trade.”

    Averagely, the twins make N1,000 daily depending on the number of “jobs” they deliver. “In terms of charges, our service is affordable because we are dealing mostly with students,” Paul offered.

    Apart from tailoring, the twins also sing.

    They released a couple of songs and performed in various campus fellowships’ events. Did their parent also teach them music?

    “No, they are not musicians,” Paul said, adding: “And we cannot say music is our primary calling because we do so many things apart from it. We have released four gospel songs and we have been receiving positive feedbacks from people.

    The fact is that we tend to concentrate more on music because we believe it is the best way to pass our message across to the youth.”

    Has it been easy combining academics with business? Peter responded: “We work based on our timetable. Every morning, we draft our to-do list, which helps us to manage our time judiciously. Both of us do not have lectures simultaneously because we are studying different courses. What we do is when one is not having lectures, he does all the work while the other is in the class. We are proud to say that we have no setbacks in our academics.”

    What would they do after school? Paul said: “We are going to focus on our music because that is where we derive our happiness. Because every investment requires capital, we may practice our profession for a while to raise some money, but our intension is to own a studio where we can only record gospel songs.”

    Are they distracted by ladies? “No, we are not into any relationship because we don’t want distraction. More so, our religion does not permit that. Though it is difficult not to have female students as client but we try our best to manage our relationship with them,” Peter rejoined.

    The twins advised the youths to always take God first in everything they do and harness their potential for the service of humanity.

     

  • ASUU strike: Tinubu urges march on Villa

    ASUU strike: Tinubu urges march on Villa

    Former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is wooing the G7 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rescue Nigeria from 14 years of the ruling party’s “nothingness”.

    He said the party had been touring the country to market it to the G7 governors, who he described as “beautiful brides”.

    Besides, the APC leader advised students to march on the Villa, if the lecturers’ strike remains unresolved.

    Tinubu, who spoke in Abuja at the dinner of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, said : “We have been going around . We have been talking to our brothers, we have marketed our party, our spirit, our manifesto and determination to rescue Nigeria. We have made proposals to the G7 and beautiful brides and we asked them to put additional powder, support if it is necessary. If we have to give them new shoes, please do so. High heels or low heels, please do so and let us get married to increase our number. With additional seven, eight, nine or 10 states, make it possible, we are very proud of you.”

    The former governor said lamentation, envy and sophistry would not help the citizenry to rescue the country from its decline , “but if we are united, if we push the spirit of oneness, unity and determination, we will defeat and stop the drifting of the last 14 years of nothingness of the Peoples Democratic Party.”

    According to him, APC’s mission to rescue Nigeria is not because the members are hungry or thirsty for power, but because it is only the result of a free and fair election a democrat should accept.

    He urged National Assembly members to weed out obnoxious regulations.

    In TInubu’s view, Nigerians should stop the excesses of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since it would not surrender power on its own.

    He condemned the police’s invasion of a meeting of governors in Abuja, saying: “ A DPO going to the governors’ residence to terminate their meeting. It is a shame and we should eradicate it.”

    On the prolonged strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Tinubu urged Nigerians to stop lamenting and confront the Federal Government on the issue.

    He said following his belief in action for positive change, he would insist that the union resumes work Thursday or the students are mobilised to the streets and Aso Villa.

    Tinubu said: “It is time Nigerians move away from lamentation and move with the strength of liberation. It is time we did not give excuses for failure, inadequacies and accountability in governance. I am sorry if they don’t resume tomorrow, I order those students to be out on the streets. If our vehicles have no way to pass; if they can move to the Villa and sack the Villa, it is for their future. We should stop lamenting this as a challenge.”

    He told the party men that freedom is sweet but it is not easy, adding: “You cannot eat an omelet without breaking eggs.”

    The party leader insisted that the last senatorial election in Delta State was a far cry from a free and fair election, stressing that APC must be different from PDP.

    He promised the party’s support for its Anambra State governorship candidate, Senator Chris Ngige.

    Former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari noted that Nigeria is witnessing a political earthquake as a result of the great expectation of the citizenry.

    “We are witnessing a landslide of a political earthquake. Alliances have been concluded and new alliances are being invoked. Nigerians-old and young, men and women – are working with great expectation that this movement will turn Nigeria around,” Gen. Buhari said.

    He spoke of Nigeria’s neighbours anxiously waiting for Nigerians to provide leadership and direction for them to follow.

    The former head of state added that the international community was equally waiting to see if Nigerians can come together to play their role in the world.

    He, however, noted that Nigeria’s situation calls for solutions “since the government at the centre since 1999, the Federal Government, has been clueless, has no direction and speaks most times from both sides of the mouth”.

    To Buhari, the 2007 presidential election was far from being credible. He said the former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Prof Maurice Iwu, wrote the results before the election was completed.

    “Once we come together, we will be strong to stop election rigging,” Gen Buhari told the APC chiefs.

    The party’s Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, announced that it planned to register 15million members.

    He said: “We are working very hard to call on Nigerians very shortly to register at least 15 million people across the 120,000 polling units all over Nigeria.”

    He promised that APC would champion the country’s civilisation that will radiate light.

    While explaining that APC will bring peace to the country, he said “Nigeria is not at war yet it is not at peace”.

    He is hopeful that if the votes in the next elections count,the party will produce the president and most of the governors.

    In his welcome address, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola said the APC was already becoming a movement.

    He explained that following the one Nigerian dream of the nation’s founding fathers, the party has recognised the country’s ethnic diversity.

    To those who express fears that the country may break up, Fashola said “the APC family believes that the house will stand”.

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole told the party to believe that its action can stop election rigging.

    He said the party has set examples of performance in the states it governs, adding that it is an indication that APC will distinguish itself even at the national level.

    Oshiomhole asked APC to prayers with action that will ensure that “we will fix Nigeria”

    Kano State Governor Dr. Musa Kwankwaso assured the APC that he would come with his supporters to join the party.

    Represented by his Special Assistant (Sports), the governor recalled that APC had a few days ago made an overture to him to join it.

    After consultations, he said, he would join APC in a very big way.

    His words: “It is clear that we are on our way coming. By the time all the consultations are done, you will certainly hear from us in a big way.”

    The governor cautioned those clamouring for the balkanisation of the country to understand that the division does not necessarily guarantee peace since the smaller units would inherit the present challenges in Nigeria.

    He said: “First and foremost, the Nigerian unity; some people are already beating war drum, threatening to break up this country.

    “When Nigeria breaks up, those smaller units will still carry along with them those problems that we are threatening to break up from,” said Kwakwanso.

    While proffering a solution to the circumstances the country has found itself, Kwakwanso said: “In a moment of national crisis, we must not take a holiday for thinking.”

    He recalled that a prominent South African musician Lucky Dube’s suspected killer confessed that he mistook Dube for a Nigerian, adding that the life of a Nigerian has become very worthless.

    But he expressed hope that if he joins APC, where he has people of like minds, they could take the nation to the next level.

    The governor said like his Lagos State counterpart and Imo State’s Rochas Okorocha, he had also employed his aide from another state for the essence of merit and spirit of one Nigeria.

    The governor submitted that the threat to demolish his house in Maitama District of the Federal Capital Teritory (FCT) would not compel him to surrender his political belief for an inferior one.

    He said: “That cannot or does not change the way, the strength , determination and belief of Kwakwanso. If you demolish his house in Maitama, who cares? That is not the only house he might have owned.”

    According to him, there are so many other leaders who built their houses in the same green area and the Federal Government has ignored their violation.

    He said he was compiling their names.

    Kwakwanso’s aide said: “There is something around my boss, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso, that I will like to share with you today. You must have read in the news that his house was marked for demolition. That same house is owned by him and he has a valid C-of-O. Now behind the house there is a small piece of land, which is actually called the green area.

    “And he requested the Minister of FCT, Dr. Bala Mohammed, to extend that piece of land for him. He accepted and asked him to bring the original C-of-O for the original building.

    “They withdrew it and gave him an original C-of-O covering the extension. The design and everything that has to do with that building was approved by the FCT administration. Then, suddenly, we heard that they want to demolish the house.”

    Others at the dinner were Chief Tom Ikimi, Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura, Borno State Governor Kasim Shetima, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Giadam, Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, Hon. Femi Gbajiabiamila, Hon. Abike Dabiri and many others.

  • Strike: Civil society groups sue ASUU

    Some civil society groups have sued the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the National Industrial Court over alleged illegal and arbitrary strike.
    In the first suit, Mr. Elaigwu Apeh, President, Northern Nigeria Democratic Forum (NNDF), joined the president of ASUU, Mr Nasir Fagge and nine others as defendants.
    The NNDF is praying the court to determine whether or not ASUU can declare a strike over purported breach of the memorandum of agreement by the Federal Government.
    The group is also asking the court to declare the strike by the university lecturers illegal and a breach of the constitutional right of the students to education.
    Similarly, another civil society group, Golden Women of Integrity and Vision Association, sued the union in a suit with number NICN/ABJ/242/2013 seeking similar reliefs.
    The Poverty Alleviation Advocacy and Justice Initiative (PAAJI), in the third suit, also wants the court to award exemplary and special damages against the ASUU.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that when the three cases came up for mention in September, the defendants had not filed their statements of defence.
    The counsel to ASUU, Mr. Samuel Ogala, told the court that he had filed a notice of preliminary objections, challenging all the suits.
    The presiding judge, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, adjourned the cases to Dec. 17 and Jan. 3, 2014 for the hearing of the preliminary objections.
    Adejumo also ordered that hearing notices should be served on all the parties in the suit before the next adjourned date.

  • ASUU strike and the politics of emotion (I)

    I made several calls to some of our campus correspondents last week to ascertain how they are coping with the prolonged ASUU strike which entered its fourth month last week. As expected, it was lamentation after lamentation. After an initial six depressing calls, I reflected deeply again about Nigeria and asked myself the question that has been asked millions of times by well-meaning citizens: why are we like this?

    Is there something mentally wrong with us as a people generally? Why do we lack the ability to consider the long term impact of some of our actions? Are our problems psychological? Are we in fact mad as some now suggest? Why do we expend so much energy discussing inanities while serious issues are left unattended to?

    I ask these questions because we certainly engage in conduct that makes no sense and is often entirely abnormal. Taken down to its micro level, you see it happen almost unhindered every day: Don’t maintain an aircraft and continue to fly it with its problems and expect that it repairs itself in the air. Sell your votes to corrupt politicians and vote them into office and later start complaining about poor health care facilities, bad roads etc. Appoint ministers and public officials based, not on merit, but regional sensibilities and later start complaining about incompetence. Buy multiple SUVs rather than fix bad roads. Buy bulletproof or armoured vehicles for ‘protection’ since kidnappers, armed robbers and hired assassins are on the prowl. Graduate thousands of half-baked Nigerians from bad universities and then ‘encourage’ them to go out there and create jobs!

    I heard a comedian say the other day that if Jesus Christ came down tomorrow, judging by his heavenly conduct and splendor, we Nigerians would refuse to vote him as our President and saviour – so, we have even denied ourselves spiritual intervention. If all of these and more is the new normal here in Nigeria, has the time not arrived when we should consider as a nation a well-deserved visit to the psychiatrist?

    Now to the issue at stake; the prolonged ASUU strike. After an unnecessary rigmarole, the buck finally stopped at the President’s table, as the Americans would say. That was after the government threw up its arms in the air and started employing ‘emotional intelligence’ by appealing to ASUU to call off the strike “in the interest of our children”. As is often the case, ‘eminent citizens’ dormant politicians and lobbyists also seized the opportunity provided for them on a platter of gold by joining the fray and singing the same song to show the government that they are on their side.

    The battle thus moved from the negotiation table to the realm of psychological warfare with both sides striving to gain the support of Nigerians. ASUU officials took to the streets of major cities across the country in their bid to explain the rationale for the prolonged strike and for citizens to implore the government to honour the agreement it signed. Similarly, Vice-President Namadi Sambo appealed to ASUU to sheathe its sword and call off the strike in the interest of the students and the nation. Recall that he also led a committee that met with ASUU, but his committee met a brick wall.

    When the ASUU strike was in its second month, government officials started insinuating that the union was infiltrated by opposition element which was why they stuck to their guns that the 2009 agreement they signed with the government must be honoured in totality. Even the President, in his last media chat, said the lecturers never stayed this long before suspending previous strike actions.

    Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, also said the strike, “from all indications”, had the trappings of political undertones to discredit the president, he insisted that his NEEDS Assessment Committee actually released about N100 billion to federal and state universities for the development of projects. He also raised the issue of state universities joining the strike since some of them have no issues with their principals. However, it was in the news last week that some varsities claimed they have not received a dime from the government since the release of the funds.

    At a point in the psychological warfare, ASUU sources claimed the government was planning to forcefully reopen the universities. Expressing his reservation on this, ASUU Chairman, University of Uyo chapter, Mr. Nwachukwu Anyim, said: “As a branch, we do not think that such a directive would resolve the issues at stake. Rather, such a directive would deepen the prevailing crisis. A show of force by the president could only, at best, result in a ‘pyrrhic victory’. We stand on the existing agreement between the union and the federal government. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between government and ASUU and also the NEEDS Assessment Report should provide the road map for the resolution of the ongoing strike by ASUU”.

    Did the President get his facts right when he said the strikes normally do not last this long? He did not. In 1994, the union went on strike for six months. In 1995, it was five months. It downed tools for seven months in 1996. It was five months in 1998, five months in 1999, two months in 2001, three months in 2002 and six months in 2003 which ended in 2004. It went on strike for two weeks in 2005, one week in 2006, three months in 2007, one week in 2008, four months in 2009, five months in 2010, three months in 2011 which ended in 2012, four months already in 2013 and the strike is still on!

    What I intend to do in the next couple of weeks is to look at this issue critically and holistically once again. I’ll still look at the issue even if the union decides to call off the strike after its meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan because matters regarding our tertiary institutions are fundamental. The meeting with the president is the outcome of the resolution reached last week at the meeting between Vice-President Sambo, who is also the chairman of the Federal Government negotiation team, the supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike and ASUU.

    The enormity of the crisis at hand is being felt across our shores. Already, universities in Ghana, Benin Republic and Togo are now overwhelmed by the number of Nigerian students applying for admission and have even started rejecting applications. So finding solutions to the carrying capacities of our varsities should be on the front burner for some time to come, so also is mapping out strategies on what to do with the products of these universities. You’ll agree with me that this won’t be an easy task.

    In my previous articles on ASUU related issues, I’ve received calls and messages that I’m sympathetic to their cause and never seem to see anything wrong in their actions. My reply to such readers is simple: provide the necessary infrastructure and tools to a substantial level then bring in administrators with track records to enforce discipline and civilised conduct akin to what the late sole administrator of Ahmadu Bello University, Major-General Mamman Kotangora did; but this time within the confines and parameters of democratic culture.

    Yes, there are definitely some bad eggs within ASUU ranks just as there are principled ones. When all the necessary tools are in place, we would then concentrate on fishing out lecturers that lecture in five universities at the same time; those who sell marks for sex; those who insist handouts must be bought by students or they carryover courses; those who sponsor cult members and a motley of other allegations, some so outrageous to mention. Lecturers will then have to choose where they belong. The rot remains because government believes in just ‘throwing’ money at the varsities without proper monitoring mechanisms in place. The various NEEDS assessment reports are there for all to see.

    This notwithstanding, I make bold to say that if we have a determined, credible and accountable government that insist on due process in place we have the potentials of having some of the best universities in Africa. Though the rot is enormous, I believe that this strike – which is one too many – has at least made more Nigerians aware of the issues at hand. How we address this and move forward will definitely determine the future of tertiary education in the country.

     

     

  • When will ASUU strike end?

    When will ASUU strike end?

    Worried by the continuing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU)that is now in its fourth month, I decided last week to devote my column to the issue until it is resolved.

    Having written about my own position on the matter recently, my decision is that I will publish divergent views by other concerned Nigerians.

    It’s the least I can do to keep this issue in focus considering the deadlock in negotiations between the federal government and the union leaders.

    Just when it seems that the issue will be resolved to save the country from the embarrassment of having its public universities shut for months, there is no indication of any resolution in sight.

    Unlike those who can afford to send their children to private universities in the country or abroad, three of my children are caught in the web of the crisis.

    One is in the final year and would have graduated by now but for the strike. Another is waiting to resume the second year, while the third is also waiting to be admitted into the same public university.

    They have become very restless waiting endlessly to return to the campus and my wife has had to insist that we include the resolution of the strike in our prayer list.

    We have been praying like I trust many others are doing in the hope that reasons will prevail soon and we will put this unfortunate development behind us.

    Last week, I published a view by one Temisan Jackson titled Much Ado about agreement with ASUU which many readers understandably because of the logo of my column thought was mine.

    The thrust of Jackson’s controversial piece which earned me some angry text messages are captured in the three paragraphs below:

    “As it is, the government claimed to have met almost all the provisions in the 2009 agreement, but ASUU has a different narrative. However, in the midst of this chaos, we need to consider the students. The longer ASUU strikes, the more our economy suffers, and the greater the spell of idleness of our youths; and we know what that means…

    “Does it make any sense to shut everything down and destroy the very system

    ASUU is claiming to want to fix? Must industrial action always be the bargaining tool for ASUU? Isn’t it a betrayal of depth that our so-called intellectuals only use the force of brawn to drive home their point? Can’t negotiation be ongoing without destabilising the education system and sending the children packing out of school?

    “For the sake of our children idling away at home, let each of the warring parties shift ground. Let’s not politicise the strike any further. ASUU should go back to the classroom and government should release the money it has promised to give.”

    One of the texts I got said: “It’s strange that a man of your status is writing in this manner. Have you lost your conscience?”

    Another reader, who, however, noted the attribution of the article to Temisan in the last paragraph, wrote: “Temisan’s article started very well with a historical background but ended woefully just trying not to pass blame on government. How is ASUU to blame for government’s irresponsibility?

    “Call a spade a spade. It is a question of implementation and not negotiation. Let the government implement and pay the arrears, ASUU will then call off the strike.”

    We don’t all have to agree on who is wrong and who is right on this issue.

    What is not in doubt is that the nation’s educational sector has been messed up and the government has to wake up to its responsibility before it is too late.

    For those who think the lecturers have their share of the blame in the university education rot, that is an issue that can be addressed later when the government does the “needful,” apologies to Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah.

  • EBSU pulls out of ASUU strike

    Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki (EBSU) yesterday announced that it was pulling out of the four-month strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    The management, in a statement, said this followed the inconclusiveness of the ASUU National Executive Council meeting held at the weekend in Kano State.

    It said academic activities will resume in all the campuses today.

    The Registrar, Sam N. Egwu, said: “Having waited patiently for the Federal Government and ASUU to resolve the impasse behind the over four months strike embarked upon by the Union to no avail, the management of EBSU has resolved to re-open the school.

    “We, therefore, inform all concerned that teaching and learning will begin fully today. This is to enable us cover what we have lost to the strike.”

    A source said: “None of the lecturers are happy about the strike; they gave 80 per cent support to the plan by the management to resume academic activities at the last meeting of the school management.

    A source said: “The EBSU-ASUU chairman was not at the meeting and no reason was given regarding his absence. I learnt ASUU got wind of the agenda of the meeting and decided to boycott it.”

    But the EBSUU-ASUU Chairman, Prof Ndubuisi Idenyi, dissociated the Union from the purported reopening by the management and maintained that the strike was still in progress.

    “We are still on strike until we are given a contrary directive from the national leadership,” he said.

    Idenyi warned the school management not to dare the lecturers, adding that the Union was ready for a showdown, if the management decides to punish their members for refusing to resume work.

  • TUC wants FG to end ASUU strike

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Friday called on the Federal Government to take measures to end the four-month-old strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    This call is contained in a statement signed by the Secretary General of the union, Mr. Musa Lawal, in Abuja.

    ASUU had embarked on strike to protest against the non-implementation of 2009 agreement reached between the union and the Federal Government.

    The TUC said the union was disturbed that in spite of protests and appeals by parents, students, market women and others, government had not shown concerned about plight of the students.

    “TUC is again appealing to government to address this critical issue that bothers on our collective future as a nation.

    “It is high time our governments at all levels embrace the culture of respecting and adhering to agreements.

    “There is no gainsaying the fact that ASUU’s strike has been allowed to drag on for too long, and the consequences are incalculable.

    “We insist that it now behooves on government to move and decisively address the issues at stake,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the union as saying in the statement.

    According to the statement, any nation that abandons its youth developmental and educational system inadvertently abandons its tomorrow.

    “We shall not fold our arms and allow the nation’s educational system to collapse.’’

    It said the situation was worrisome, noting that Nigeria, arguably the richest country in Africa and sixth largest producer of crude oil in the world, seemingly could not guarantee education for its citizenry.

     

     

  • ASUU strike now anti-people, says Kukah

    ASUU strike now anti-people, says Kukah

    The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Archdiocese, Rev Matthew Hassan Kukah yesterday said the continued strike by varsity teachers under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is no longer in the best interest of Nigerians, therefore, ASUU should reconsider its stand and allow students go back to school.

    He spoke in an interview during the sixth Anthony Cardinal Okogie annual lecture/ Foundation re-launch at the MCgovern Hall, St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos.

    Kukah said the strike is not affecting the children of the rich but those of the average and poor Nigerians, adding that those in government and the rich send their children to schools abroad.

    He urged varsity teachers to remember that in negation you cannot win 100 percent. If government has made some efforts to meet some demands of the union, they in turn should make concessions for the sake of the students who have been made to stay at home for about five months now.

    “Education is important, but there are many other contending issues afflicting the country that government must equally take care of; cases such as insecurity posed by Boko Haram insurgency in the North, kidnapping and other vices in the South, youth unemployment across the country,must all be attended to by the government.

    “The problem in the education sector did not start with the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, if he is making efforts to handle them side by side with other national issues, ASUU should reconsider its stand for the sake of Nigerians, other vital sectors should not be closed down because government has to meet ASUU’s demands though it is important, Rev Kukah said.

    He urged President Jonathan to resolve the problems in the education sector, stating that he himself came from that sector.

  • Government and ASUU strike

    SIR: If anyone is still wondering why Nigeria is not working, then the person must read Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai’s book titled ‘The Accidental Public Servant’. The quality of leadership is poor and this is traceable to the process through which these people evolve as leaders. If not, why would leaders supposedly elected allow Nigerian universities to be on strike for more than 100 days?

    The people who run government in Nigeria do not understand that the buck stops at their desk. Nigerians did not vote for them to keep our universities shut. These people, especially President Goodluck Jonathan, simply do not have what it takes to run a country. All that they concern themselves with is how to retain their positions for their personal benefit. Very soon, these same people will be campaigning, asking that we vote for them again. In other countries, the President and a number of people would have been sacked by now.

    To anyone who thinks President Jonathan’s recent remark that he would do everything possible to resolve all issues responsible for the strike by ASUU and National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) offers a ray of hope, El Rufai (Page 441, Lines 19 & 20) has this to say in his book ‘ …-never expect Jonathan to keep a promise, never expect him to reciprocate a kind gesture’. Isn’t that what is responsible for this strike in the first place? This government lacks integrity and depth. If not, why would it not implement an agreement that it signed on how to improve Nigerian universities. El-Rufai was right! His book is a collector’s item.

     

    • Olami Akanni

    Abuja, Nigeria