The executive Director, CISLAC, Auwalu Ibrahim Rafsanjani, has taken a swipe at the Ministers of Education and Labour, Mr. Adamu Adamu and Dr. Chris Ngige for remaining in office despite the closure of the nation’s public universities over strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Speaking over the weekend, Rafsanjani said the two Ministers have no business remaining in the office only if they have some shame and their dignity matters. Mr. Ibrahim Rafsanjani who spoke in Kano at Journalists training on: “Prioritising Anticorruption and Accountability Issues during 2023 Elections,” declared ASUU industrial action as legitimate steps to revamp University education.
Mr. Rafsanjani said; “It is only in Nigeria, Universities are closed for 6 months and people who are in charge of Education are not resigning.” He explained that “the legitimate demand by ASUU is about the quality of Education. You cannot have a university without a laboratory, a university without facilities to carry out research. In the world today, innovation in science and technology are coming from the universities, and our own have become stationary.
As patriots, you don’t expect the teachers to remain unconcerned.” The CISLAC boss lamented that “the last time ASUU enjoyed salary review was in 2009, and from 2009 to date, we all know that prices of things have skyrocketed, and for them to demand for salary review its legitimate, because one school dropout who happened to be a legislature or political appointee earns million, while a professor in the University learns N116, 000.”
He said: “A Professor who has spent 30 years in the system earns N416, 000, while one legislator who is probably a school dropout in the House of Representatives earns N17 million excluding other illegitimate earnings. In the senate, it is N19 million excluding other illegitimate earnings, and you will say a University professor should not earn N500, 000.”
The CISLAC boss said; “You cajole them, you incite the public against them, but they have family. If the politicians and political appointees are earning much, for goodness sake, should we look down on our teacher.” Rafsanjani also said; “The whole essence boils down to basterdization of institutions.
They benefited, they enjoyed it because none of them went to private schools, some of them were even given allowances for free meals, but now you have children you cannot afford to send them to university because they are pushing people to go to private University. It’s not everybody that can pay school fees.” He said “As of today, private universities charge per semester N3 million, where will you get that money as a civil servant unless you are a thief”.
“We must understand the consequences of corruption; it has compromised our security, destroyed our health care system, and also destroyed our education and values system. Corruption has helped to undermine our development, helped to undermine everything around us and we are moving as if everything is alright.”
New Telegraph
