Bukola Olatunji
24 June 2009
Abuja — Minister of Education, Dr Sam Egwu, yesterday appealed to Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off the strike embarked upon by its members , "in the spirit of the negotiation and interest of our students, our young ones in the universities."
This is as ASUU, yesterday said the strike would be comprehensive and indefinite.
Egwu, who briefed the press after a meeting with officials of the union, led by the National President, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie, said the knot in the agreement is the 109 per cent wage increment, which translates to N78 billion.
Yesterday's meeting, he said, "was to brief them on efforts government was making to resolve the issues, and we pleaded with them to call off the strike, since we are determined to put the whole issue behind us in no distant time and that they should look at government as partners in progress in terms of repositioning the education sector."
On steps taken so far, the minister said an inter-ministerial committee, chaired by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, had been set up to capture input of other ministries such as Finance, the Budget Office and Labour and other relevant ministries.This (will translate to a lot of money.
"Considering the economic realities and possible reactions from other sectors. That is the essence of the inter-ministerial committee to determine what is possible and can be sustained.
"The Committee also appointed a sub-committee to look at the final document and it has submitted its report to the committee," he said.
Leadership of ASUU in tertiary institutions in Lagos State, were unanimous on the position of the union on the strike, saying "there is no going back until government implements its agreement."
In separate interviews, Chairmen, ASUU, University of Lagos, Akoka, and Lagos State University, Ojo, Dr Ayo Olowe and Dr Kabir Akinyemi, respectively, said it appeared that government was not interested in the growth of the sector.Olowe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the lack of commitment to development of the sector was the reason government was treating the issue with levity.He expressed disappointed over government's attitude, "especially when it comes to honouring agreements."Akinyemi, on his part, accused government of being insincere with the issue."We have just met at Akure to seek the next line of action, and we agreed that it was time we call a spade a spade. The strike is total, comprehensive and indefinite, and we will ensure that there is strict compliance," he said.Akinyemi said government was to blame for the degeneration witnessed in public tertiary institutions in the country, adding, ASUU intends to correct the anomalies towards re-alignment of the sector.A former student union leader of LASU, Mr Ahmed Agbabiaka, pleaded with the Federal Government to implement its agreement with the lecturers, for the sake of Nigerian students.
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The government is fond of appealling in striking conditions. I think it's about time they answered to this particular condition, if not, it could go a long way in tarnishing the image of nigeria's education sector internationally.
i'm a 200l student of uniabuja, in fact the way Nigeria is going today is shocking and terrorizing,how can a country wishing for economic,financial,social and political growth allow its most important sector suffer this way. Though i believe in a better tomorrow for this country but then government should find a way to stop this mess,i mean it's goddamn awful when i communicate with my friends in the states(usa) telling them that we are on strike,it's awful,please stop it. thanks
It is a pity that our educational sector is in a great chaos n turmoil.Nigeria they great gaint of Africa can not stand academically and say it can boast of undergraduates coming out at the stipulated time,because of the great uncertainty and unpredictable condition of things in the country.Strike we know only ends up wasting and adding to the already piled up problems in the educational sector.Since it is a means of meeting an end,well we have no other option than going fully into it.We wont say that The Nigerian Government is not saying anything,our bone of contention is that they are not doing much on what they promised to do.There are other sectors that need attention,no doubt,but we have to take an economic stance of considering the opportunity cost of other sectors to education,which I think would totally lead to a collapse in the Countries economy.If this persists,a time will come when qualified individuals would be lacking to rule the affairs of the Nation.If no option,then strike is an option!