The National Treasurer of the Academi Staff Union of Universities, Dr. Ademola Aremu has said that the one week sack threat issued to members of the union will fail, as the military had also tried to implement same unsuccessfully in the past.
Aremu, speaking to reporters in Abuja 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 their management that ordered the students to go back home.
“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 N200bn is for 2012 and 2013 revitalisation, the government should deposit same in the Central Bank of Nigeria .
“ 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?
“We are saying that a non-victimisation clause should be included as agreed while the renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement should be included as agreed with the President.”
“Government should address the issue we sent to them in the letter and we are not demanding extra kobo. Under the military, the threat to sack lecturers did not work. What the current government has done is another long path to make the strike linger than necessary,” Aremu added.