According to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the ongoing strikes won’t be resolved unless responsive and accountable people are in positions of power.
The chairman of ASUU at the University of Ibadan, Prof. Ayo Akinwole, stated in a statement on Sunday that the strike will stop only when a revised 2009 Agreement is signed and put into effect.
Akinwole lamented that the Federal Government owed their members nearly nine years’ worth of allowances, saying that ASUU members had made significant sacrifices for their welfare.
He claimed that the Memorandum of Understanding and the Memorandum of Action inked with the union have not been honored by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Akinwole stated that Nigeria is in the hands of incompetent people as a result of Nigerians’ collective negligence.
“The cycles of strikes in Nigeria will not end until we rise above sentiments to get responsible and responsive people – who will be accountable to Nigerians – into public offices,” he said.
“The Federal Government led by Buhari is largely uncoordinated; the President issues orders while his media aide denies issuing orders.”
“Despite the fact that the Federal Government has suspended our members’ salaries for the next five months, lecturers are determined to defeat the parasitic ruling class.”
“Nigerians should join the fight for government funding to revitalize public universities and give the children of the Nigerian masses hope of governing their country.” Unless this is done, the ruling class’s children educated in foreign universities will return to take over from their evil parents and continue to enslave Nigerians.
“The union will actively participate in the two-day protest organized by the Nigeria Labour Congress and other national labor unions.” It is unfortunate that the President Buhari administration, which prides itself on fighting corruption, will obstruct the use of homegrown solutions for the Integrated Personnel and Payroll System, which has been discredited by the 2019 audit report.
“Members of the Union are also affected by the strike, not only financially, but also in terms of education, as many of them are pursuing doctoral degrees at public universities,” he says, adding that many will be affected as their promotions will be delayed, and “my children are at home with me as well.”
“We got here through collective incompetence in electing incompetent people to public office.” The struggle for quality education for the masses’ children has devolved into a class war between the economic elite, the working class, and the ruling class.
“The cycle of strikes and underdevelopment will not end until we rise up and demand accountability from those in power to do what is best for the majority.”
