By Emmanuel Edukugho
WITH the closure of public universities due to ongoing nationwide, indefinite strike by lecturers, followed by the non-academic, administrative staff now in the third week, accusing fingers are pointed at Federal Government for being insincere and insensitive to the tragic situation in the sector.
Dr Sam Egwu, Minister of Education and •President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Professor Ayo Banjo, former Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, who as Pro-Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt , was chairman of Government’s Negotiating Team that signed the 2001 Agreement between FG and ASUU on behalf of the Federal Government has blamed non-implementation of the earlier agreement reached between the two parties as cause of the current crisis in public universities.
“The Federal Government is not sincere in addressing issues raised by ASUU. It is unfortunate.” He urged the Education Minister to re-open fresh negotiations with the lecturers to end the crisis.
Chief Onem Nelson Onem, Acting president, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), declared his support for the strike, describing government’s attitude to education as “lukewarm and trepid”.
He said the strike is unfortunate and uncalled for as it could be totally avoided, if Federal Government had honoured the agreement reached.
“It is highly incomprehensible that a government which prides itself as embracing due process and rule of law would tend to renege on an agreement reached after a formal bargaining process,” according to Nelson.
Dr. Sunday Mankinde, Prelate, Methodist Church of Nigeria, believed that the nation has sufficient resources to meet ASUU’s demands and beyond “Education is not well funded in Nigeria at all.
We need to properly fund education. What are we doing with our money? He said that insufficient funding was the cause of the rot in the education sector, and appealed to the government to fund education as panacea for the crisis.
Professor Julius Akinboye, formerly of Education Psychology Department, University of Ibadan, said that insincerity on the part of the Federal Government is responsible for the strikes rocking our universities.
Speaking while delivering Lagos State University’s Distinguished Lecture titled: “Entrepreneurial Creativity and Innovation in the University Programmes,” he asserted that demands of ASUU are genuine which cannot be ignored by any government interested in development of its citizens.
The seasoned educationist argued that if government was sincere in developing Nigerian universities, there is no way it would deliberate on the fate of university education without consulting lecturers.
Akinboye advised the Federal Government to invite ASUU to a round table discussion and negotiate with them.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC), in a statement by its Secretary-General, Chief John Kolawole, called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency and national interest, sign its own part of the agreement, as this will restore the much needed peace in the universities.
He explained that the demands by ASUU and other unions including the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities are not self-serving, but patriotic meant to sustain development of the country.
NBA President, Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) said.
“It is worthy to note that the agreement between Federal Government and ASUU is a culmination of negotiations spanning two and half years. It smacks of bad faith for any representative of the government to deny the existence of same. The issue of education must be taken seriously.
Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has asked the Federal Government to ensure that ASUU calls off the strike so that normal work can resume in the universities while conscious efforts are made to resolve festering problems in tertiary institutions, once and for all.
This was contained in the communique signed by ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani after the National Executive Council meeting in Kaduna.
Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Oserenren, reacting to the ASUU strike said that while the Federal Government is handling the issue, urged both parties to compromise, she appealed to the government and ASUU to be “honest and compromise”.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has said it will mobilise over one million-man march of its members for a massive protest against Federal Government’s refusal to honour the agreement and accede to the request of ASUU.
Even while the Federal Government says it has met three of the major demands of ASUU that led to the strike – 70-year retirement age for lecturers, autonomy of the universities and increased funding, while the demand for improved wage was now being discussed, ASUU National President, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie said that government was blackmailing the union because these are not the only issues of contention.
The following universities have been shut as a result of the ASUU strike.
*Akwa Ibom State University of Science and Technology.
*Abia State University, Uturu
*Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi
*Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
*Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.
*Anambra State University.
*Bayero University, Kano
*Benue State University, Makurdi
*Bukar Abba Ibrahim University, Damaturu, Yobe State.
*Cross River State University of Technology, Ekpo-Abassi, Calabar
*Delta State University, Abraka.
*Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki.
*Enugu Staet University of Science and Technology, Enugu.
*Federal University of Technology, Akure.
*Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun.
*Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
*Federal University of Technology, Minna.
*Federal University of Technology, Yola.
*Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
*Ibraheem Babangida University, Lapai.
*Gombe State University.
*Imo State University, Owerri.
*Kano State University of Technology, Wudil.
*Kogi State University, Ayigba, Kogi State.
*Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso
*Lagos State University, Ojo.
*Michael Okpara Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike.
*Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
*Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State.
*Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
*Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.
*Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa.
*Adekunle Ajasin University, Owo
*Osun State University, Osogbo.
*Kebbi State University of Technology, Aliero.
*Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt.
*Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
*University of Abuja, Gwagwalada.
*University of Agriculture, Makurdi.
*University of Ado-Ekiti
*University of Benin, Benin City.
*University of Calabar, Calabar.
*University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
*University of Ilorin, Iorin
*University of Jos, Jos.
*University of Lagos, Akoka.
*University of Maiduguri, Maidiguri.
*University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
*University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Port Harcourt.
*University of Uyo, Uyo.
*Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto.
*Kaduna State University, Kaduna.
*University of Technology, Aba, Abia State.
its only in Nigeria that an appointed minister of education will have all is kids studyin abroad…there should be criterias b4 appointing a public officer …how will they do their jobs…but if their children are in d system…they will make sure the system works if this is done appropriately
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has not only deceived the entire nation by his self-acclaimed “servant leader” but his lieutenants in the Education, Finance and National Planning Ministries have also demonstrated lack of initiatives required to curtail the excaberration of the ongoing ASUU strike. The wealth of a nation depends largely on the resourcefulness and productivity level of its human resources. This is a basic concept in O/L economics.
In all, the incumbent Federal Government headed by personalities that we thought should know better about the worth of human development has proved the Nigerian citizens’ expectations wrong. It is rather unfortunate that the madness exhibited through the irresponsibilities of the successive past federal administrations can be sustained by the present national leadership.
Ignorance, poverty and illiteracy pervades the land yet the government is not showing the expected goodwill towards education sector. It therefore follows that, the insensitivity of the Federal Government to honour a freely negotiated contractual agreement with the ASUU is a calculated ploy to perpetually impoverish the Nigerian masses. It is for this reason that all progressive minds should rally support to ASUU in this heroic struggle to liberate the Nigerian polity from the shackles of the unprogressive handful of people who are trying to abuse the peoples’ mandate to hold the entire nation hostage.
I pity Sam Egwu and Prof Dora. The latter scored an “A” from behind. Being former ASUU members, they know the truth, but are playing politics with it. A Continuous Assessment question for Prof: When questions in an exam are differently weighted, do you score an “A” by answering two lowly weighted questions out of three?
All things bright and beautiful but Nigeria present and past Presidents , Governors, Ministers, commonissioners spoil them all for thier selfish reasons and lack of vision.
the governmen to the people, for the people and by the people, we voted in the president why is it that it seems he is not concerned about the educational sector at all , as i heard he has gone to italy for the G-8 meeting, to do what when his house- educational,health and information secor is on fire.
it can be said he is the father of
nigeria, but where is the love for the children in higher institution, where is the love for the our dying mothers in federal hospitals all this and more are the problems on hand and it is said the president went for G-8 metting. come home mr prsident and do something. the ministers are subjects to you tell them what to do they do know and better still if u can do that pls resign
the government of the people, for the people and by the people, we voted in the president why is ito that it seems he is not concerned about the educational sector at all , as i heard he has gone to Italy for the G-8 meeting, to do what when his house- educational,health and information sector is on fire.
Hausa/Fulanis and even the yorubas destroyed the foundation of education in Nigeria. Come next 50 years, if these people remain the leadership, things are naturally bound to get worse. If we want, I can chronicle events/actions and even inactions to this ‘FACT’!
Most recently Edited:
Giant of Shame
Giant of Fame
What is this song on the lips of our heroic FG? What drama is this? We’ve seen this clip several times over and much as we appreciate entertainment,this scene has been shot for too long, it’s now BORING. Perhaps a review of one or two characters would do. Perhaps FG should consider a change of story line.
We’ve had it dysfunctional for so long that
imps and chimps now lay claims to the survival or demise, whichever fate it is, of our educational system. Do these cavemen expect that we retire to the forest and gather shrubs and worms for our dear future while their herds are abroad in zoos of higher learning? Let’s blame illiteracy and not them, at least for health reasons. Isn’t it obvious what kind of scholars this crop of i-don’t-know-whats were? No true graduate of an institution of higher learning, trained in both character and learning would sing and dance the tunes of a degenerate. In fairness to FG though, i think 109% is a little on the extreme. Dear ASUU, you can be more humane! I’m only one of the several millions who crave to go back to school and round up the heartbreaks served us in the name of academics. Institution of TOUGHER learning it is!
Edited:
Giant of Shame
Giant of Fame
What is this song on the lips of our heroic FG? What drama is this? We’ve seen this clip several times over and much as we appreciate entertainment,this scene has been shot for too long, it’s now BORING. Perhaps a review of one or two characters would do. Perhaps FG should consider a change of story line.
We’ve had it dysfunctional for so long that
imps and chimps now lay claims to the survival or demise, whichever fate it is, of our educational system. Do these cavemen expect that we retire to the forest and gather shrubs and worms for our dear future while their herds are abroad in zoos of higher learning? Let’s blame illiteracy and not them, at least for health reasons. Isn’t it obvious what kind of scholars this crop of i-don’t-know-whats were? No true graduate of an institution of higher learning, trained in both character and character would sing and dance the tunes of a degenerate. In fairness to FG though, i think 109% is a little on the extreme. Dear ASUU, you can be more humane! I’m only one of the several millions who crave to go back to school and round up the heartbreaks served us in the name of academics. Institution of TOUGHER learning it is!
The crises in the Education Sector is a true reflection of a failed state.
I still insist that nothing has worked in the country.
Former President,Olusegun Obasanjo never prepared to hand over power. When all his plans to continue failed,he (Obasanjo) hurriedly handed over to YARADUA thinking and knowing that he (YARADUA) will not survive it.
Everybody is trying to blame the minister for not handling the matter,we tend to forget that the MESS in that sector is beyound EGWU as a minister of education.