SOURCE: http://evatese./2013/07/04/ASUU-strike-holiday-or-torture-questions-unanswered/
The strike bug has hit Nigerian Public Universities again. This time around its an indefinite strike. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) On Monday July 1st commenced an indefinite nationwide strike. The reason for this action was because ’The Federal Government reneged in the Memorandum of Understanding MoU signed with ASUU in 2009 to pay lecturers their earn allowance.’ as said by ASUU national president Dr Nasir Isa Fagge.

The Federal Government, in 2009, promised to pay lecturers N12,500 per month as earn allowance but never did. The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, are also on strike for the past 2 months .

Striking is an action which is synonymous with the Nigerian Government as It seems that the only language of force that government in Nigeria understands is language of strike . If the unions don’t strike then they don’t respond. How sad . Just recently , the NUT, National Union of Teachers just called off their strike which lasted for 3 weeks in some states of the federation. Is this the beginning of a long holiday or beginning of sadness and torture ?

Unfortunately , exams were supposed to commence by the first week of august , but with the way things are going it definitely would be postponed to only God knows when. The sad part is that many students who had the hope of rounding up this semester would have to wait , may dreams crushed because they don’t even know how long this strike would last . Even examination for the semester would be postponed.

Also, the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), urged the Federal Government to accede to the demands of the striking university lecturers.

What the government fails to understand is that this strike which is an indefinite one could bring to rise of many social ills and evils. As it is being said “An idle mind is the devils workshop” . By the time our university undergraduates stay out of school doing nothing , then different things begin to rise . It leads to more armed robbery attacks , more terrible things in the society. Must there be strike ?

The question is why is the government always doing this always ? why should they promise and fail ? Is ASUU wrong for what they are doing ? are they greedy and not considering the effect the strike has on the students? Will the government comply or neglect ? . The government should reason this action out and weigh its positive and negative sides and effects toward its people. These lecturers should be given their rights because they help to raise and build leaders.

ASUU should be protecting the students interest rather than frustrating their academic programs.Should there be a revolution, it should be through peaceful dialogue rather than indefinite strike actions. But the truth is that its only the language of strike the government understands.
THINGS ASUU SHOULD CAMPAIGN FOR

At least for the strike not to be in vain ,instead of their own selfish interests for salary increase, fulfillment of governments allowance pledges, extention of professors retirement age,and possibly, in the nearest future, they may be demanding for post-humus pension plan for the family members they left behind. they should ask for the following.

agitating and canvassing for good lecture rooms

surveillance in our universities that will curb cultism and campus terrorism to the smallest

round the clock internet facilities

updated libraries and research centers in our universities

Creation of employment opportunities for our graduate youths

Subsidized tuition and school fees so as to make education a right to all citizens

highly equipped laboratories for experiments and analysis for our student scientists

rather than their present day self-centered clamor

Please on behalf of the students and the striking lecturers i appeal to the government and ASUU to come to a mutual agreement as soon as possible and let academic activities continue for the year make things right so that the negative effects of this indefinite strike would be averted as soon as possible. The government should please intervene in this matter o !. it is unfortunate to have this same issue recurring too often.

So who doe we blame ? the government or the union?
SOURCE: http://evatese./2013/07/04/ASUU-strike-holiday-or-torture-questions-unanswered/