President Goodluck Jonathan has rationalize the need for the the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to discontinue their prolonged industrial action.
The President who was Represented by Minister of Education, Ruqayyat Rufai said this at the inauguration of the Federal Government sponsored- Transformation Projects at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) made the declaration.
Jonathan restated that N30 billion had been released for payment of earned allowances in all public universities emphasizing that the inaugurated projects were in line with Federal Government’s commitment to providing quality education in the country.
He said the projects were based on the need assessment exercise conducted by the Federal Government in universities.
Jonathan urged the university administration to engage in research for national development, while stressing the need for proper maintenance of completed projects.
Vice Chancellor of the university, Chidozie Asiabaka, in his speech, that noted that the projects had gone a long way in tackling the dearth of basic infrastructure in the school.
“The dearth of classrooms, lecture theatres, power supply, student hostels, office accommodation, library space and facilities are major challenges my administration faced when I assumed office two years-ago,’’ he said. The VC said with the intervention of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), the university got 1,000 sitting-capacity lecture theatre and Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies building.
He said the inaugurated projects are the new Engineering Technology, school of Environmental Technology building, Centre for Nuclear Energy Studies and Training and the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology building complexes.
The others are School of Environmental Technology building, landscaping of the campus and the provision of solar energy lights on the campus.
He also commended the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on the completion of the giant student hostel building in the university.
Meanwhile, some groups, among them Concern Nigerian Students (CNS), staged a peaceful protest round major streets of Benin city, using the avenue to urge on the Federal Government to honour its agreement of 2009 negotiations with the ASUU.
The protesters made up of civil society groups in a statement signed by Amayo Inuaghata (Concern Nigeria Students), Maxist Kola (Coalition of Edo Youth Organisation), and Patrick Oseriemen Benjamin, among others, said government has inadvertently exposed lack of sincerity in handling the problems of Nigerian universities and education has now taken to to resort to cheap blackmail of ASUU.
The statement read in parts :“Each time ASUU embarks on strike, government media blackmail ASUU by saying it is asking for too much salary.” “Even if that is the case, is it an offence to ask for a just and deserving pay for building the nation? Is it fair that politicians, House of Assembly members, Senators, Ministers, Commissioners and other top government officers should earn more than a Professor, PhD holders, doctors who save lives?
“When government says that universities should depend on internally generated revenue, whatthey mean precisely is that university authorities should charge exorbitant school fees of N300,000as they do in private universities that they have established for their own kinds.”
the protesters urged the striking lecturers to ensure the success of the action insisting that if the strike fails ASUU will sit back and allow government to have its way and “it will end up in a situation where each student would pay exorbitant school fees like those in private universities.”
Similarly, economic activities in Calabar, Cross River State capital, stood still on Tuesday as the zonal mass protest organised by the Joint Action Front (JAF) and other stakeholders pressurising the Federal Government to give priority to the nation’s education sector took to the streets to mobilise Nigerians on a planned nation-wide protest that would be announced soon.
The protesters lead by JAF Secretary, Abiodun Aremu assembled at the Freedom (Botanical Garden) Park, Mary Slessor Road where the rally was kick-started.
While addressing newsmen, Aremu stated: “We declared this zonal strike in line with efforts to mobilise stakeholders in the education sector across the country for the coming national protest.
Present at the rallies and procession were ASUU chairpersons – James Okpiliya of the University of Calabar, Nsing Ogar of Cross River State University of Technology, Uzor Onyebinama of Mike Okpara University of Agriculture, and Nwachukwu Anyim of the University of Uyo, together with I.N.E. Worugji, ASUU National Legal Adviser.
“We are worried that from the information reaching us, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) which suspended its strike for a month to allow government fulfill its promises may soon withdraw their services again if the government refuses as usual to honour the agreement reached with them.
“Also, the College of Education Academic Staff Unions (COEASU) is gearing up for a strike over same
grouse of unimplemented agreement,” he added.
National President of the Nigerian Students Rights Movement, Inibehe Effiong, who is a final student of Law at the University of Uyo, spoke on behalf of the Nigerian students.