₦airaland Forum

Reno Omokri should defy all odds and come back to Nigeria too. You think say you get sense, abi?

rusher14:
Shut up you fool.

Your likes think you can shout everybody down with your idiocy.

If ASUU likes liet them continue their strike forever.

Hope you know its the same economy LASU lecturers are in yet they still work and the students are getting educated.

I hope you are aware that some of these state universities pay more than federal universities eg. River and Delta State. A Chief lecturer in polytechnic earn more than a professor.

Bontafa:
Support government to fight ASUU ?

Nawa children plenty o.

Look government suppose dey beg ASUU

Did you go through the post? It's a sarcasm. The topic is totally different from the content or should I say opposite of what's contained in the writeup.

In the content, the writer tried to give you reason why you should support ASUU.

After giving the federal government of Nigeria 14-month strike notice (December 2020 – February 14, 2021), the Academic Staff Union of Universities asked her members to stop teaching to force government to be responsible in the funding of public universities and sign a renegotiated agreement with the Union. This was after the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) government had failed to meet set timelines in the Memoradum of Action (MOA) his government signed with the Union on December 22, 2020. After the government failed to meet the timelines, ASUU, through his immediate past president, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi wrote the Chief of Staff to President Buhari on March, 3, 2021 to complain how the office of Accountant General of the Federation had been frustrating the Union and her members even after submitting the demanded documents. The Union warned that not meeting the MOA agreements may stoke tension and threaten industrial harmony. The government kept playing the Union and this forced the Union to declare total and indefinite strike on August 29, 2022 after six-month strike roll-over.

How did we get here and do Nigerians care where and how their children are taught? After the Goodluck Jonathan administration conducted the 2012 Needs Assessment which showed the rot in Nigeria’s public universities, federal government resolved to provide funds for the revitalization of the University system for six years totaling N1.3trillion. The amount was arrived at by government team which carried out the exercise and not ASUU as government would want the public to believe. It was designed to be paid for six years as follows: 2013 (200billion), 2014 (220billion), 2015 (220billion), 2016 (220billion), 2017 (220billion), 2018 (220billion). After the strike, the Jonathan administration released the first tranche of 200billion in 2013. Politics consumed 2014 and Universities got no revitalization funds. Entered Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and for seven years, the administration has only released N50billion out of 220billion meant for 2014 tranche! The Union had agreed with PMB that since the government claimed it cannot release 220billion once, it should pay 55billion quarterly and end it in a year but this government failed again! The N50 billion that was paid was not even released once and it took strike threats for them to pay. The Buhari government is now saying the balance of 170billion will be in 2023 budget and implemented around May 2023.

ASUU gave government ample time to act but power intoxication would not let those in the corridors of power salvage the country’s education system. The government which owes lecturers over eight years verified arrears of earned academic allowances is now saying the amount will be put in 2023 budget and will be paid in 2023. On this item alone, this government and the current National Assembly appealed to the Union and promised to put the earned academic allowances in the 2022 budget. They failed to do so

With regard to the renegotiated agreements, government left democracy and came to the table with autocracy and expected the Union of intellectuals to be bullied into jettisoning collective bargaining. Government awarded salaries that will make a professor who has spent 10 years and above have additional N60,000 to the current miserable salary of a Nigerian professor (N416,000) which is not up to $1000. In 2009 when the agreement being renegotiated was signed, the value of what a professor earned was around $3000. The 2009 agreement detailed how ASUU sacrificed a better African average salary for a lower salary scale (Table II) based on the plea by government that the economy cannot support that competitive salary. The report says that “the Re-negotiation Committee noted that Nigerian University Academics represent the critical mass of scholars in the society, with the potential for transforming it. They, therefore, deserve unique condition of service that would motivate them, like the intellectuals in other parts of the world, to attain greater efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery with regard to teaching, research and community service, and thereby stem the brain drain. In line with this philosophy, the Re-negotiation Committee obtained information relating to the movement of Nigerian Academics to other African countries such as South Africa, Ghana, Botswana as well as developed countries. The figure in Table 1 relevant African average that is, the average remuneration of Academics in selected African countries with which Nigeria potential or effectively competes for the recruitment of Academic Staff.” It was said that future negotiations of salaries would begin from Table 1, which government said the economy cannot pay then. But now, government is saying no to negotiations. You either take N60,000 or forget it. Even as bad as this autocratic imposition is, its implementation too will be next year after elections. Peace eludes a nation that elevates injustice as norm, it deprives them of development and breeds violence and corruption as a way of life.

With regard to the renegotiated agreements, government left democracy and came to the table with autocracy and expected the Union of intellectuals to be bullied into jettisoning collective bargaining. Government awarded salaries that will make a professor who has spent 10 years and above have additional N60,000 to the current miserable salary of a Nigerian professor (N416,000) which is not up to $1000. In 2009 when the agreement being renegotiated was signed, the value of what a professor earned was around $3000. The 2009 agreement detailed how ASUU sacrificed a better African average salary for a lower salary scale (Table II) based on the plea by government that the economy cannot support that competitive salary. The report says that “the Re-negotiation Committee noted that Nigerian University Academics represent the critical mass of scholars in the society, with the potential for transforming it. They, therefore, deserve unique condition of service that would motivate them, like the intellectuals in other parts of the world, to attain greater efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery with regard to teaching, research and community service, and thereby stem the brain drain. In line with this philosophy, the Re-negotiation Committee obtained information relating to the movement of Nigerian Academics to other African countries such as South Africa, Ghana, Botswana as well as developed countries. The figure in Table 1 relevant African average that is, the average remuneration of Academics in selected African countries with which Nigeria potential or effectively competes for the recruitment of Academic Staff.” It was said that future negotiations of salaries would begin from Table 1, which government said the economy cannot pay then. But now, government is saying no to negotiations. You either take N60,000 or forget it. Even as bad as this autocratic imposition is, its implementation too will be next year after elections. Peace eludes a nation that elevates injustice as norm, it deprives them of development and breeds violence and corruption as a way of life.

I think Nigerians are happy that lecturers in polytechnic and colleges of education earn more than public university lecturers in Nigeria. Despite being poorly remunerated, public university lecturers teach more because not less than 80 percent of those writing JAMB yearly prefer university education. Universities (and not polytechnic and colleges of education) are rated and ranked globally. Nigerians who think ASUU is fighting a wrong cause should no longer complain that Nigerian universities rank poorly globally. They should not blame the quality of graduates being churned out because they do not think there is need for revitalization of public universities. They are only interested in their wards passing through universities without the universe in the university passing through them. They should not think students trained in zoo-like conditions will behave like normal humans when they graduate. In fact, when such becomes political office holders, they will see no reason to invest in public education and the consequences will be further erosion of the universe in our universities using the world of renowned poet, Professor Niyi Osundare. Our best will leave as they have been doing and we will infest the ivory towers will politicians!

Professor Niyi Osundare’s valedictory lecture entitled “The Universe in the University: A Scholar-poet’s Look from Inside Out” provides response to those asking for commodification of public universities. According to him, “A University cannot be run like a money-spinning business or corporation and be expected to still retain the soul and sense of Academe. Harassed by budget cuts by a Nigerian government that pays little more than a lip service to education, our university is being forced to look for funds in every which way. While it must be admitted that some departments are in a better position to generate outside funds than others, any attempt to commodify education and commercialize the disciplines can only lead to further undermining of the universe in our university. Time, we realize that a university can never be run as a cost-effective corporation. There are simply certain forms of knowledge that cannot be judged on their market value. (Niyi Osundare, July 26, 2005)”.

I have taken time to provide insight into the ‘futuristic awards’ of the Muhammadu Buhari government in relation to ASUU demands and from this, it is apparent that this government has met nothing. The government salvaged Airlines with millions of dollars without saying it will be put in 2023 budget. Education is our future. We cannot afford further decay beyond what it is. We cannot joke with the welfare of our lecturers. We wont advance if we keep electing ‘Londoners’ who don’t believe in the country but poised to milk it. I will end this piece with the words of then opposition spokesman and now Minister of Information, Lai Muhammed whose speeches then have now become ‘talk is cheap’. In 2013 (Daily Post, August 21, 2013), Lai Muhammed as the National Publicity Secretary of APC said while reacting to ASUU strike: “What we are saying is that if the federal government would reduce its profligacy and cut waste, there will be enough money to pay teachers in public universities, as well as fund research and upgrade infrastructure in such institutions. Hungry teachers can neither teach well nor carry out research. And poorly-taught students can neither excel nor propel their nation to great heights.” Now in government, has this government reduced waste and cut profligacy? Has this government upgraded infrastructure and funded cutting edge researches? Is the government not asking lecturers to receive poverty wage and return to teach? Can poorly taught students excel and propel Nigeria development as being championed by this government? Ladies and gentlemen, let us support government to fight ASUU.

Dr Tade, a sociologist

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/09/10/let-us-support-government-to-fight-ASUU/amp/

It's obvious these people are shameless. You signed an agreement, violated the same agreement and still have the gut to sue the other party to court. No be juju be that?

Is this information actually true? Did law school actually increase the school fees of their students?
If the information is actually true, then this is quite unfortunate.

Kindly find below the resolutions of Committee of Chancellors on the ASUU strike.

It highlighted some of the demands from ASUU and offer made by the Federal Government on such demands.

Each of these demands and counter offer comes with suggestions on the side of the Vice Chancellors on how best to resolve them and possibly end the strike.

rusher14:
Did you read where university audits were never published?

Nigerians need to tell themselves the truth.

Nigerians are corrupt across the board.

Getting anything to function as seen anywhere else is an illusion.

Will you be proud to send your children to public schools (primary and secondary)? Why? Shebi because of the decay. The people who send their wards to these schools, do so for two reasons. Lack of money or they are not related to them. Are private schools better? No! Those ones are there to exploit the parents. If I tell you what's going on in those private schools, you will marvel.

We really need to go back to the drawing board. We need leaders who have the political will to lead. We equally need followers who are willing to demand some level of transparency from their leaders without fear.

Softmirror:

DO A CASE STUDY ON A.B.U ZARIA UNDER MAMAN KOTANGORA DURING ABACHA REGIME. DO ANOTHER ON UNI ILORIN UNDER PROF OLOYEDE.

Are you saying that ASUU should be scraped? Well under Prof. Oloyede, the university unions were banned from strike. Yeah, the university enjoyed some moment peace for quite some time. Did it solve the problem yes and no. Yes, she enjoyed some peace . No, it was just a matter of time before the other union will rejoin their sister union. The benefits ( funding, earned allowances etc) that the university and her members were enjoying during this ' peaceful period were outcome of ASUU's struggle. This made them to be seen as selfish union. The rest will fight while they sit at their comforts to enjoy the benefits of other people's struggle.

In summary, I agree with you that under the period of Prof. Oloyode the university enjoyed some moment of peace but those peace were at the detriment of other unions who were out there fighting. Without their agitation, UNILORIN wouldn't have enjoyed some of the benefits they are enjoying today.

rusher14:
When government pays we say ASUU were the brains behind it.

When it fails government is the cause.

Can ASUU ever be wrong?

I'm not trying to paint ASUU as a perfect union. After all the people we regard today as VCs, were once ASUU members.

My response is a reaction to the initial post which paint the FG in good light (which is not bad). I'm trying to also let the same readers know that ASUU too should be given some credits. Without them, some of these funds wouldn't have been released, not to extent we see today.

The problem of education is in two folds: underfunding and corruption. The little we have received from the FG, what have we done with it. This is why ASUU insisted on visitation panels. Till today FG is yet to release the outcome or the report of the visitation panel.

Under President Goodluck's administration, 250 billion was released for education. Within this period, there was no strike. Unfortunately, several universities have not given an account on how these money were spent. You see the effect of corruption.

Softmirror:
YES! ASUU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR STRIKING LECTURES FROM THE MONEY ASUU AS A UNION COLLECTS FROM STAKE HOLDERS OF THE UNION MEANT TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR STRIKING LECTURES FOR AS LONG AS THE CHOOSE NOT TO GO BACK TO WORK. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT TURNS TO A NO WORK NO PAY CIRCUMSTANCE. I HOPE ASUU SELF DESTROY ITSELF THIS TIME AROUND SO THAT IN THE FUTURE THEIR CALL FOR STRIKE WILL WON'T BE WELCOMED BUT RIDICULED.

.

Well, I don't really understand your prayer. As for me, I pray we find a lasting solution to all these.

rusher14:
Why didn't ASUU pay themselves?

Pay themselves? How? Are they the employer? I'm trying to let you know that without the agitation there won't be fund to cater for the education sector.

Ivimmanuel:
Federal government has really done a lot in terms of infrastructure in Nigeria tertiary institutions through tetfund. If you go to most tertiary institutions, except the trees every other thing bears tetfund tag from furniture, building and vehicles. Maybe their salaries should be payed through tetfund too.

Tetfund was due to ASUU's agitation.

maryjames9:
If you were a President, would you have a meeting with a Union that perpetually fight your government at every single opportunity with so much disdain, arrogance and hatred? If you have 2 wives, which one would you give more attention, love and resources to? The wife that fights you everytime, call you derogatory names, blackmail you, openly confronts and insult you you for not giving her enough resources or the one that plactes you, appeal to your ego and sings your praise despite your obvious imperfections?

If you were a wife would you pay attention or respect a man that doesn't give a damn about you. Do you expect her to turn herself into a slave simply because she is married to him. Mind you, she has tried every peaceful means to resolve her problem with her husband yet her husband seems to pay deaf ear to her appeals. The same analogy is applicable to ASUU against the FG.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday extended its six-month-old strike indefinitely until the Federal Government meets its demands.

A member of the union, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the development to Channels Television following a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the striking varsity teachers at the University of Abuja.

He said the union extended the industrial action after reviewing progress reports on ongoing negotiations with the Federal Government in the last four weeks when ASUU rolled over the strike.

Last week, the Minister of Education Adamu Adamu said the Federal Government had addressed most of the union’s demands including the release of N50b for the payment of earned allowances for academic and non-academic and non-academic staff of universities.

ASUU embarked on the strike on February 14th, 2022. It had then declared a four-week warning strike. But after a month, the lecturers extended it by eight weeks, saying the government needs more time to look at its demands.

Following the Federal Government and lecturers’ inability to reach a resolution, the union on May 9 further extended the strike by 12 weeks.

is human rights lawyer Femi Falana who asked the Federal Government to sign the renegotiated agreement with the striking workers.

“Instead of engaging in the diversionary tactics of blackmailing ASUU the Federal Government should ensure that the strike is called off by signing the Renegotiated Agreement with ASUU without any further delay,” Falana said in a statement he issued on Sunday.

“While calling on both sides to resume the negotiations in the interest of the country the Federal Government should be prevailed upon to end the prolonged industrial action.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.channelstv.com/2022/08/29/just-in-again-ASUU-extends-protracted-strike/amp/

Domain hustle no be here. Sent out an email to an 'enduser' and I got this reply.

I'm sure you must have heard about revitalisation fund. These funds are not meant not federal universities alone. The TETFUND most states' universities enjoy today were outcome of ASUU's agitation.

After the strike, whatever agreement reached by federal universities with FG, will serve as a yardstick when states' universities are negotiating with their individual employer.

Btw, do you know that polytechnics and colleges earn more than university's staff.

Do you know that River State Government pay state University staff more than the federal University staff.

JJuanMiguel:
The outcome of the NEC meeting is predictable.
Many state universities never joined in the strike in the first place, so it's normal for more to pull out of the strike.

Ok

Stan2330:
Most state Universities are withdrawing from the strike with some resuming from 29th
I wonder how students from their federal counterparts will feel about this

Some did so hoping that the strike will be called off. Take for instance, ABSU was supposed to resume on 29th like you said, but I heard that the students were told to excercise a little patient. May be they are waiting for the NEC meeting on Sunday to decide fully. There's no point asking the students to resume only to ask them to go home.

Strike Update

Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi voted for the continuation of the strike.

Resuscitate:
Pls guys, how do I confirm to afternic that I own the domains I put up for sale on their platform in order to opt in their premium service? They keep sending me mails that I'll get a mail so I can confirm I own the domains so they can opt me in their premium service but I'm not getting any mail for over 3 wks now.

Is the domain upto 60days? If it's up to 60 days, you will receive a link in your email email directing you to opt in. But if it's not up to 60days, I doubt if it's possible.

The following schools voted for the continuation of the strike. In the case of MOUAU, it was resolved that the strike should be indefinite, enough of rollover strike.

https://www.nairaland.com/7294456/ASUU-strike-update

Emmamay10:
In a nutshell, should we say there is no end in sight to this strike?

Yes! Infact, the strike just started.

Update on the ongoing strike

FUNNAB
OOU
UNILAG
BUK
UNIUYO
UNIBEN
UNIMAID
FUDMA
UDUS
FUDMA
FUD
TASUED
MOUAU
UNN

The above mentioned universities, all voted for the continuation of the strike. In the case of MOUAU, it was resolved that the strike should be indefinite.

JJuanMiguel:
Gombe state university?

As you can see from the upload, Gombe State University ASUU branch voted for continuation.

The following universities have voted for the continuation of the strike action:
University of PortHarcourt
FUTMINNA
Gombe State University.
Federal University Gusau (FUGUS)
Most Universities will hold their Congress tomorrow to vote on whether to suspend or continue with the strike.

rusher14:
Oh, so the private university lecturers don't earn enough?

Why can't they down tools?

First, some of the staff in the private universities are from public universities. Since private universities cannot afford to pay equivalent to what the public universities are paying, the best thing is to recruit from public universities ( especially the senior ones) and pay them half of that amount.

Like I pointed out earlier, its only few private universities that can afford to engage lecturers whether young academic or older ones. I was told by a reliable source that American University pay expatriates in foreign currency. Can you beat that?

Secondly, unlike the public universities where you have Union as ASUU to fight for the interest of members. I don't think we have such for private universities. If they do, I doubt if they are as active as ASUU.

rusher14:
If they feel they are under appreciated they can migrate to the many private universities that exist.

They don't have to work for government.

You think private university can afford them? Only few private university can afford them: Covenant, Landmark, American University etc. If they all migrate, it will still affect the public universities.

In the university system, there's what we call bottom and top heavy. Bottom heavy is situation where you have more junior academic staff than senior staff. While top heavy is the opposite. Now, if a department is bottom heavy, they will lose accreditation. Same applies when a department is top heavy. But for a department to get accreditation it's better that there is a balance between the two.

Why am I telling you all these? Some public universities don't have these talk more of private universities. Less I forget, for a department to be accredited, a professor or associate professor must be the HOD and it takes between 15 to 20 to produce a professor. Just imagine if they all decide to 'japa'. Imagine what will become of our university system. Your argument could be that we will provide the opportunity for younger ones to grow. So will mentor the younger ones if not the senior ones.