The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reiterated its resolve to protect interest of members in federal and state tertiary institutions for better conditions of service and access to education.
It described the statement credited to the Pro-chancellor of Osun State University, Mallam Yusuf Alli, to the effect that it was wrong for the Federal Government to negotiate with the union and force implementation on state varsities as an unfortunate view of enemies of public-funded universities in Nigeria.
ASUU, in a press release by zonal coordinator of Ibadan Zone, Prof Oyebamiji O. Oyegoke, Prof. Ayoola Akinwole (UI), Prof. Moyosore Ajao (UNILORIN), Prof. Biodun Olaniran (LAUTECH), Dr. Shehu Salau (KWASU) and Dr. Wende Olaosebikan (UNIOSUN), stated that Nigerian academics could not be asked to earn by their performance when basic infrastructure for teaching and research are not available, including funding for research.
It expressed surprise that the UNIOSUN pro-chancellor was unaware that pro-chancellors have always been part of the negotiations.
While addressing a press conference to herald the sixth biennial conference of Committee of Pro-Chancellors of state-owned universities in Nigeria, (COPSUN), the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) had said: “It is quite unfortunate that all the negotiations done so far with ASUU have been within the Federal Government and union. Our organisation has never been involved, and that is part of the problems. How does the Federal Government negotiate with ASUU, only to come and force their agreement on those that are not a party to it?”
The Prof. Oyebamiji-led Ibadan Zone of the union also stated that all state varsities, including UNIOSUN, benefit from revitalisation funds so far released by the Federal Government due to the struggles and inclusive negotiations of ASUU.
HOWEVER, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has asked for politicians and government officials to be banned from sending their wards abroad for schooling to end the recurring strikes.
It also described the quick resort to industrial strike by ASUU as “lazy and irrational” since the union could adopt other alternatives.
The group mentioned the alternate measures as publicising schools and names of children of public office holders schooling abroad, writing protest letters to those schools informing them of the atrocities perpetrated by parents of the said children, as well as how they have sabotaged university education and fund their wards’ education abroad with stolen public funds.
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group emphasised that until children of public officers have no educational alternatives both at home and abroad, the perennial strikes by public university lecturers would remain unresolved.
