The president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, has maintained that the Federal government of Nigeria forced them to embark on their current strike action with their lackadaisical attitude towards their plight, that of students and Nigerians at large.
In a monitored interview yesterday, the ASUU president affirmed that the Union would call off the strike within Two (2) days if the Federal government do the needful.
According to him, the statements credited to the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, where he asked students to sue ASUU in court were mere comical (words without value) and should be treated as worthless.
“Strike is a symptom but a problem. FG forced us to strike. They don’t care about the children of the poor because their children and relatives are studying overseas. Adamu’s statement is like those who make people laugh,”
Osodeke maintained that if nothing is done urgently to rescue the education sector, very soon all public universities would go extinct as it is the case with public primary and secondary schools today in the country.
The don reiterated that ASUU does not need to be awarded or gifted with borrowed salaries and welfare packages or structure, but a negotiation would do both parties better. “We don’t need awards or gifts, we want to negotiate, don’t give u awards or gifts. And for those who claim we are recalcitrant or we have monopolised the education sector, I won’t respond to that because it’s nonsense!”
He added that ASUU has done every reasonable and necessary thing to avoid the impasse, but FG has not been faithful, hence the strike as the last option. “If anyone knows anything we can do (which we have not done) Let the person say it. Let me make it clear, no Public higher institution has resumed. Any State government may ask them to resume but it’s the body (ASUU) that will call it off. Let the government stop causing confusion.
“FG said they spent N200 billion to feed school pupils, N4 trillion on fuel subsidy, N400 billion on trader Money, now $23m is coming from Abacha unending loot, they have decided how to disburse it, but ASUU is not factored in. Let an honest committee (not an oppressive one) be set up to end all these. And I have challenged youths, especially students to use their PVCs to vote out any elected official at the three tiers of government who does not represent them well, and use the same PVC to vote in any candidate (no matter his or her political party) whom they believe would represent their interest come 2023 going forward,” he charged.
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