Nasir Fagge and Goodluck Jonathan
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has
said the Federal Government’s December 4
ultimatum issued to universities teachers to
return to the classrooms is a clear indication
that the government is not committed to
implementing any of the resolutions it
reached with the union.
While reacting to the threat of the Federal
Government to sack the lecturers if they fail
to call off their five-month strike by
Wednesday nest week, ASUU National
Treasurer, Dr. Ademola Aremu, said the union
was shocked that the government could have
such plan when there was a shortfall of
60,000 lecturers in Nigerian universities,
owing to the government’s failure to employ
enough teachers.
He added that the threat would not hinder
the union’s determination to ensure that
Nigerian universities were well funded.
He said, “It is a pity if the Federal
Government is not willing to perfect the
resolutions reached with the union. This is
why we find it difficult to trust our leaders by
their words. How can someone be threatening
to sack lecturers when universities are
already short-staffed by almost 60,000? We
are not in a military era. The military tried it
and failed. This one will fail again. They can
re-open the schools. ASUU did not shut the
universities; it was the school management
that ordered the students to go back home.”
ASUU added that the FG was wasting the
time of Nigerians and youths in the country
by failing to perfect the resolutions so that
classes could resume in the schools.
Making reference to the failure of the
government to honour the agreements it
entered with resident doctors and health
workers after they suspended their strikes, the
union said it had reasons to be wary of the
government, adding that the threat was an
insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians who
were waiting for the government for a
positive reaction.
“With the latest action, the government has
shown that it is not committed to all it has
been saying. We are saying that since we
agreed at the meeting that the sum of
N200bn is for 2012 and 2013 revitalisation,
the government should deposit same in the
Central Bank of Nigerian. We are already in
November and December is around the
corner. If they don’t do that now, when do
they want to do it?” Aremu said.