Addressing journalists on Monday evening after the meeting with the striking lecturers in Abuja, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said the majority of their demands have been met including the release of N15.4 billion for payment of salary shortfalls.
Experts’ Expectations in 2019
Year 2018 has gone with its attendant problems top among them is the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and its polytechnic counterpart (ASUP). The unions and the federal government are still at loggerheads over sundry issues.
Strike continues – ASUU
This stance is coming as the Union maintained that the first meeting held with the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige has yet to go into substantive issues which led to the strike.
While speaking to newsmen after the Congress of the Union, chairman ASUU, University of Ibadan, Dr Deji Omole said ASUU members will not allow the ruling elite to destroy the heritage of the poor which is qualitative public varsity education. According to Omole, Wale Babalakin who is the leader of Federal Government team is being rejected by the Union because he is an interested party pursuing a private university license and will do everything to jeopardize public education funding.
Omole noted that a situation whereby two members in the FG team are pursuing their private university licenses indicate they will not favour funding of public education.
The ASUU boss maintained that the three-week old ASUU strike is borne out of genuine and patriotic commitment to ensure a better future for children of the masses and that of Nigeria.
He therefore dismissed the allegation being bandied by the government that the strike was political.
“How can our strike be political when there are matters that you as government signed into and you failed to fulfill your promises? To us, it is the Federal government that is being political with the truth by becoming untrustworthy.
“How can the President and his Vice be asking Nigerian universities to become one of the leading universities of the world without making the same commitments responsive and responsible governments in the world are making to Education? Our leadership have shown consistent disrespect for agreements and this is why they can no longer be trusted by our Union.”
Stop treating education with levity – NANS
The student union gave the charge on Monday in Minna when it protested the shutdown of academic activities in some federal universities by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
ASSU had three weeks ago mobilised its members on an industrial strike, demanding the release of N1.1 trillion to fund public universities.
The students in a peaceful protest tagged: ‘Save Education Rally’ decried incessant strikes in the education sector and called on the federal government to shift ground on the matter.
ASUU Strike: We are doing everything possible to call it off
Anwuka who was cornered by Vanguard yesterday (Thursday) during Lafarge Literacy National competition in Lagos said:”We are doing everything possible to ensure that ASUU calls off their strike.” Prof. Anthony Gozie Anwuka Asked when ASUU may likely return to the classrooms, he said: “I don’t know, but we are discussing with them.”
NUNS partners with ASUU
Reiterating NUNS commitment to the struggle of ASUU, Seriki explained that ASUU decision at every time has always been to reposition education in Nigerian. He said: “Considering the state of university education in our dear country, every sane citizen will definitely fault ASUU if they remain silent or refuse to act in rescue our education system.
ASUU vs FG
Strike: Zamfara bank customers in panic withdrawals ASUU strike The development follows the indefinite strike embarked upon by the union Sunday night, after its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held in Akure, Ondo State.
ASUU begins indefinite nationwide strike Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, at a briefing in his office, attributed the delays in meeting some of the demands projected by ASUU on weak financial base of the Federal Government, noting that previous administrations made bogus promises to the academic union when the economy was quite buoyant.
ASUU’s current strike is predicated on delays in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, all parties allegedly agreed to in the year 2017, including compelling government to conclude the renegotiation of other agreements also collectively reached in 2009.
ASUU supports minimum wage
He explained that payment of tuition in Nigerian universities was unconstitutional as education remained a right and a public good. According to him, the introduction of education banks will do nothing better than enslave students and make them indebted for life. He also declared that ASUU was with the labour union in its efforts for the betterment of the life of Nigerian workers who are also producers and preservation of the wealth of the nation. Lawan lamented the lack of responsiveness of government to the needs of public universities, stressing that government was out to destroy university education as it had done to primary and secondary education in the country.
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/10/asuu-rejects-introduction-of-education-banks-supports-minimum-wage/
ASUU threatens FG
The National President of the union, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos.
According to him, no meaningful development will be achieved if government fails to put issues concerning education on the front burner for global reckoning and competitiveness.
ASUU calls on Osun, Oyo govts to save LAUTECH
THE Academic Staff Union of Universities, Port Harcourt Zone, on Monday called on the Osun and Oyo State governments, the joint owners of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, to fund the institution and save it from collapse.
ASUU urged both governments to urgently take full responsibility of funding the university rather than shifting the financial burden of running it to the students.
The Coordinator of ASUU, Port Harcourt zone, Uzo Onyebinama, said the union was still negotiating with the governments of Osun and Oyo to finance the institution.
He said, “Education is a social service and it ought to be treated as such. All hands must be on the deck to compel the Osun and Oyo State governments to do the needful and take full responsibility for the funding of LAUTECH and save the institution.