George Oji in Kaduna, Sufuyan Ojeifo in Abuja and James Sowole
23 June 2009
Akure — The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday ordered its members in both federal and state universities nationwide to immediately proceed on indefinite strike action over Federal Govern-ment's refusal to sign the agreement it reached with the union about two and a half years ago.
The strike may however not be total as the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria branch of the union is not joining the strike action due to its earlier face-off with the national body.
The university yesterday began its first semester examination with ASUU members serving as supervisors and invigilators
The Senate has, however, waded into the matter by asking the Federal Government to honour the said agreement and calling on ASUU not to proceed on the action.
The agreement, according to ASUU, centres on four main issues namely adequate budgetary provision for education, improved condition of service that would check the problems of brain drain, university autonomy and academic freedom.
Addressing reporters in Akure, the Ondo State capital, after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, the President of ASUU, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie, said the Federal Government should be blamed for the current action of the union because the government had been playing hide-and-seek over the matter.
Shedding more light on the agreements reached between the government and the ASUU teams, Awuzie said the two parties agreed that if Nigeria is to get to where it ought to be, a minimum of 26 per cent of the annual budget of both the state and Federal Governments should be allocated to education.
According to him, with the agreed level of funding, the nation can halt the growing inability of the children of the underprivileged to get education.
He said better funding would lead to improved conditions of service that could motivate scholars sufficiently to stay in the country and teach, do research and community service.
"To arrive at an agreement well thought-out and having the potential of leaping Nigeria's education to a higher level is one thing, signing and implementing the agreement to achieve the desired goals is another matter," he said.
The ASUU president said it was disturbing that the government which had scheduled various meetings for the signing of the agreement had at all times failed to show up at the appointed time and venue which made the union to declare the last two weeks warning strike from May 18 to 31, 2009.
"The union has since seen through the gimmicks and will not fall for them any longer. Enough is enough. We have embarked on this strike because the situation had remained unchanged since the end of the two week warning strike on May 31, 2009.
"Our members have come to the conclusion that over two and half years of patience is enough. They feel betrayed, duped and do not want to suffer any more psychological or moral trauma", he said.
Meanwhile, ABU yesterdaycommenced its first semester examination in defiance of the directives by ASUU for a nationwide indefinite strike action.
It was gathered that the decision not to join the strike by ABU was collectively taken by the lecturers because of the two year-old face-off between the local branch and the national body.
The Senate yesterday urged the Federal Government to honour the agreement it reached with the union.
The Upper House also called on ASUU to exercise restraint and allow it to interface with the Executive arm of government on ways to meet the Union's aspirations within the limits of available resources.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Information, Senator Ayogu Eze, who briefed Senate correspondents in Abuja ahead of today's plenary resumption, said the education sector was critical to the foundation of the nation.
According to him, "our take in the Senate is that the educational sector is so crucial to the foundation of this country that we cannot toy with it and we want to urge the lecturers to exercise some restraint once more while we talk to the executive to find a way to meet their aspiration based on the resources available to it."
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36hrs have passed yet federal government are still thinking on what to do.its unfair!i know this is the only way asuu can make federal government pay for what they've cause by going on strike,but i will also plea to asuu to plz have pity on us.if the government refuse to look into the issue,i suggest we embark on riot.because staying at home wont solve anything but i know God will surely punish whosoever dat is responsible for all this.plz and plz asuu help us cos AGE IS TELLING ON SOME OF US.
36hrs have passed yet federal government are still thinking on what to do.its unfair!i know this is the only way asuu can make federal government pay for what they've cause by going on strike,but i will also plea to asuu to plz have pity on us.if the government refuse to look into the issue,i suggest we embark on riot.because staying at home wont solve anything but i know God will surely punish whosoever dat is responsible for all this.plz and plz asuu help us cos AGE IS TELLING ON SOME OF US.
Hello To asuu I'm a student of ambrose alli university ekpoma edo state.a 300l computer science.plz i want to urge asuu to plz have pity on the student,though i understood all what have been said or have been done by the government.because all there children are not schooling in nigeria even the president children are not here so we are just punishing our selves.plz i will advice asuu to look on the issue.federal government dont worth it.THE ARE TOO SELFISH. THANKS AND GODBLESS
ASUU students will progress without! since you have decided that it is your pockets and your stomachs that you want full and the students brains then have it your way but posterity wont forgive you for the wasted years and backwardness you have caused the students and the Nigerian educational system. We are tired of pleading it is time you listen to reason!
Hello ASUU, iam a student of DELSU, philosophy 100level. i want to categorically state that going on strike is th only way to let the federal govt know that you re serious but consider the student,who are to suffer for what they know nothing about. pls temper justice with mercy.
Embarking on strike is meaningless. Even if d ASUU president is appointed d president of Nigéria, he/she will still behave abnormal. We nigérians, we're not discipline. Stop strike b/cos even if d federal government agree with ASUU, NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES will still be nasty. Nigeria has one of d worst educational system in West Africa b/cos of our PROFS, and other highly educated idiots.
Entreprendre la grève est sans signification. Même si le président d'ASUU est nommé le président de d de Nigéria, il/elle se comportera toujours anormal. Nous nigérians, nous ne sommes pas de discipline. Arrêter la grève parce que même si le gouvernement fédéral est d'accord avec ASUU, les UNIVERSITES nigérianes seront toujours méchantes. Le Nigéria a un des pire système éducatif dans Afrique d'ouest à cause de nos PROFESSEURS et nos autres idiots extrêmement instruits. Etre sage.
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Hello To asuu I'm a student of ambrose alli university ekpoma edo state.a 300l computer science.plz i want to urge asuu to plz have pity on the student,though i understood all what have been said or have been done by the government.because all there children are not schooling in nigeria even the president children are not here so we are just punishing our selves.plz i will advice asuu to look on the issue.federal government dont worth it.THE ARE TOO SELFISH. THANKS AND GODBLESS