Reactions trail ASUUs fresh demands. Reactions have continued to trail the recent media reports that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has said it will not suspend its ongoing strike until the salaries owed its members are paid and government shows reasonable level of commitment, starting with the release of N100bn this year. While some parents and students who are in support the fresh demands opine that such is necessary, considering government’s past irresponsibility towards keeping to its end of agreements, those who oppose say ASUU should sacrifice its unpaid arrears as part of its struggles. According to the demands, the ASUU NEC members unanimously agreed that before the strike can be called off, government should pay the four-month salary arrears being owed varsity lecturers while there should be immediate implementation of the N1.2tn offer by the Federal Government to public varsities, starting with the release of N100bn this year. Though some exco members of ASUU who spoke to Vanguard Learning denied making such fresh demands, the federal government, through the Supervising Minister for Education, Chief. Nyesom Wike, has described the demand as outrageous, saying the new demands would need further discussions. Wike said: “I will have to see Mr. President to see how government can go about this development, which is not favourable. It is outrageous. ASUU is now making fresh demands and this will definitely need further discussion.” Whoever is saying the truth between ASUU and Federal Government, the reports of the fresh demands have triggered some reactions as parents, students and even university lecturers are divided in their stand. Commending the efforts of ASUU in improving the standard and quality of education, a student of University of Calabar, who simply gave his name as Bright, said “we know our government is not responsible, therefore, it would be disastrous for ASUU to call off the strike without worthy results. They should ensure that the Federal Government shows enough commitment by immediately releasing part of the agreed funds.” In agreement is Williams Rita Titilola, a student of the Lagos State University, who urged ASUU to get government to fulfill at least 80 per cent of the agreement before agreeing to call off the strike, else, those agreements will end up being on the paper it was signed upon. “Government can’t say there isn’t enough money to revamp universities because there was enough for them to gallivant round UK all in the name of birthday party”, Titilola said. Urging students not to be carried away by government’s propaganda against ASUU, a parent and a varsity lecturer who declined to have her name in print, said “government is only displaying how irresponsible she is, and this is why they plead with us whenever we meet so that we don’t expose their inadequacies. For Samuel Bright, what ASUU is requesting is the best bet considering past engagement with government. “Since government has only been offering lip services, ASUU, by this request, is only trying to avoid future strikes. So let them settle this once and for all since we have already spent a long period at home. It will be useless not to have something concrete after over five months we have spent at home.....” Vanguard. Whats your take on this?
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 17:31:33 +0000
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