*wants Nigerians to call FG officials to order.
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) on Wednesday,
Chairman of the University of Ibadan branch of the union, Professor Ayoola Akinwole who stated this at a press conference in Ibadan, also tasked Nigerians to without wasting time, call the Federal Government officials to order on the strike by ASUU.
Professor Akinwole pointed out that ” it will be getting worse if nothing is done”, adding,” problems do not get solved by propaganda, falsehood and deceit”.
” Government should face the reality of the decay and declare a state of emergency on poor condition of public University in Nigeria and give it what is due to it.Government should stop this isolationism and embrace holistic solution to public University education,” he said.
Professor Akinwole added, ” Let us stop portraying students’ interest as different from those of their teachers and parents. All the interest converge at improving the quality of life and educational infrastructure”.
” The piece meal solution of part payment of earned academic allowance, grossly inadequate disbursement of revitalization funds, erosion of University autonomy and proliferation of universities should come to an end. You cannot kill the goose that lay the golden egg.Nigerian academics deserve a commensurate living wage consequent on the economic context of Nigeria today in order to maintain the dignity of their work.
On the Federal Government officials, Professor Akinwole said, ” if Nigeria Labour Congress has been asked to call ASUU to order, who else apart from the Nigerian people do the Union ask to call the government officials to order?
” They have made a mess of the long standing tradition of committee system. They have turned committee formation to finding jobs for political jobbers who will submit their reports that will not be implemented by the government that appointed them”.
Speaking further, the ASUU Chairman said, ” it has become so bad that the country is put on auto run without respect for those they even employ to work for them. It is never too late for the government to make it an urgent point of duty to solve the problem of University education and not think that it will just pass away.”
” The truth that need be told is that the Federal Government of Nigeria adopts and is implementing neoliberal educational policies that dictate privatization and deregulation of education as antidote to revamp ailing educational standard in Nigeria, but purposively reduces investment in education. This marginalizes children and adults living in poverty and the attendant decrease of equal opportunity to public education. This concept means government non-involvement in the establishment, funding and management of schools.
” ASUU’s position is as affirmed by Nigerian Constitutional provisions, education to the Nigerian society is and should be treated as a public good, with a strong sense of national development anchored on the principle of social policy and universalism of knowledge through the provision of affordable, accessible and equality education to the greatest number of the people”
