₦airaland Forum

When Shonekan's committee that was constituted by President Obasanjo to harmonize the ranks of Nigerian public workers submitted its report, academics were unhappy that the committee ranked a Professor in Nigerian universities as equivalent to a Brigadier General in Nigerian army. For them the Professor should be ranked with the General or slightly above.

The tables Professor (Mrs.) B.J. Akinyele posted yesterday in FUTA Academics' telegram platform on the salaries of university academics and personnel in the rank and file of Nigerian army are disheartening. While we are sure that the table for Nigerian academics is based on the new minimum wage consequential adjustment, the same can not even be said of that for Nigerian army. A Professor is now equivalent to a Colonel! Really, the university lecturers may be the least paid among lecturers in higher institutions in Nigeria.

ASUU is coordinating a mass of relegated and sad academics! ASUU has abandoned the welfare of its members for too long. Academics have been earning the same salaries since year 2009. The body seems to have neglected the welfare of its members for equally important funding of the university system. ASUU is seemingly unconcerned about the struggle for meaningful and living monthly wages for the occasional (though should be yearly) earned allowance. This is unacceptable and there is an urgent need for redress. One is aware of some veterans who would say ASUU is not a bread and butter union. But are these veterans happy about the present meager salaries being received by university lecturers?

As a way of redress, ASUU needs to make the present strike, which appears omnibus with the current realities, to look more focussed by reducing our demands to IPPIS and renegotiation. IPPIS because it negates the autonomy laws. On this, ASUU need to urgently approach a court of competent jurisdiction, preferably supreme court, for the interpretation of the autonomy clauses in our 2009 agreement freely signed by FGN. If we win in the court IPPS will be a forgone issue. Renegotiation because academics can not continue to earn the same salaries since 2009. When we start to earn new and living wages we can then go back to struggle for funding of the system and other things.

Thank you.

M. O. Adepoju, Ph.D.
The Federal University of Technology, Akure.

I think it's high time government privatized all our public universities and set machineries in motion for strict regulation.

Enough of all these incessant strikes that have bedeviled our university system with the students at the receiving ends!
Imagine studying for a few months and then going on strike for the rest of the year. Who would learn under such broken academic calendar
And people still wonder why we keep producing half baked graduates?

Jman06:
I think it's high time government privatized all our public universities and set machineries in motion for strict regulation.

Enough of all these incessant strikes that have bedeviled our university system with the students at the receiving ends!
Imagine studying for a few months and then going on strike for the rest of the year. Who would learn under such broken academic calendar
And people still wonder why we keep producing half baked graduates?

Are you ready to pay the sacrifice should the government privatilize public universities?

Jman06:
I think it's high time government privatized all our public universities and set machineries in motion for strict regulation.

Enough of all these incessant strikes that have bedeviled our university system with the students at the receiving ends!
Imagine studying for a few months and then going on strike for the rest of the year. Who would learn under such broken academic calendar
And people still wonder why we keep producing half baked graduates?

Government WILL never do that because that will be the end of university education in the north, south will still try and struggle to cope!

edoairways:
Are you ready to pay the sacrifice should the government privatilize public universities?

Of course, I'll pay. Enough of all the incessant strikes!

The strikes contribute greatly to the poor quality of graduates we produce in this country. It has a lot of negative effects on students both psychologically and economically.

If the purported benefits of the strikes are weighed against the many disadvantages, one may find out that ASUU strikes don't really serve the interests of the students.

I wish ASUU could find alternative means of engaging the government instead of strikes!

Jman06:
Of course, I'll pay. Enough of all the incessant strikes!

The strikes contribute greatly to the poor quality of graduates we produce in this country. It has a lot of negative effects on students both psychologically and economically.

If the purported benefits of the strikes are weighed against the many disadvantages, one may find out that ASUU strikes don't really serve the interests of the students.

I wish ASUU could find alternative means of engaging the government instead of strikes!

It is the interest of the students. Thanks to the strike many universities now have large lecture theatre, revitalization of neglected buildings and other infrastructures

edoairways:
It is the interest of the students. Thanks to the strike many universities now have large lecture theatre, revitalization of neglected buildings and other infrastructures

is tetfund that is doing that. The strikes since 2009 has not achieved anything

jesmond3945:
is tetfund that is doing that. The strikes since 2009 has not achieved anything

This time around the lecturers need increment in their pay allowances

edoairways:
This time around the lecturers need increment in their pay allowances

they deserve it. They are not running charity organization.