Tension In Nigerian Universities As ASUU Meets FG Today Over Looming Strike
As the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, meets with the Federal Government on Monday, several students have raised their concerns about a scheduled strike by the union (today).
According to NEWS DIRECT, the FG has planned a meeting with the union leadership about the looming strike action, which would be led by Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
Remember that the union threatened to go on strike on June 19 over the alleged purposeful reluctance of the Federation’s Accountant-General, Mr Ahmed Idris, to pay the salaries and remittance of check-off dues of over 1,000 employees for 13 months.
In a press statement, Dr. Lazarus Maigoro, the ASUU chairman of the University of Jos, accused the AGF of fanning the flames of discontent between the Federal Government and the Union.
The Federal Government will meet with the union at 2 p.m. today to discuss the ongoing issues in an attempt to avert the impending strike.
Recall that on March 23, 2020, the union began a nine-month strike, the longest in the union’s history, over the federal government’s failure to resolve the concerns and implement an agreement reached years before.
Following the latest event, some students spoke with DAILY POST to express their dissatisfaction with Nigerian universities’ ongoing strike actions.
Miss Martha Onuh, a 300-level student at Benue State University, Makurdi, expressed disappointment with ASUU’s recent action, urging the union to prioritize students’ interests.
She said, “After staying at home for a while during academic calendar year in 2020, you think I will be happy hearing that ASUU may still embark on strike? Sometimes I don’t even care to know who is at fault and who is right. The Federal Government and the union should put our interest at heart.
“I applied for 4 years course, this is my 5th year in the university yet I’m in 300 level. It’s bad,”she said.
Similarly, James Onome, a final year student of the University of Nigeria, Nnsuka in a chat with our correspondent, appealed to both parties to find a means of settling their differences without industrial action.
“Most times, ASUU would say that they are fighting for the benefit of the students but at the end, the students who they claim that they are fighting for are the ones losing.
“Is there no other way for a union to register its grievances without a strike action? The incessant industrial action by the union, to me has crippled Nigerian universities,” he added.
Also, a Master’s Degree student in the university of Abuja, Adebayo Micheal urged the Federal Government and ASUU to settle their differences once and for all.
He said, “We can not be talking about strike every year. It’s quite shameful that our education system is never stable. I think even if it would take them one whole year to settle their differences and end it forever, it would be better for the students.
