Finally, ASUU Reacts to Buhari’s Minister’s ‘Blackmail’ Comment About Ongoing Strike
- The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have reiterated its commitment to rejuvenating public universities
- At present, ASUU is not on the verge of backing down from the ongoing industrial action it has embarked on since February 14
- Reacting to a recent comment by President Buhari's minister, Festus Keyamo, the president of ASUU expressed absolute disappointment
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A few days after President Buhari’s minister of state for labour and employment, Festus Keyamo called on parents to beg the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its ongoing strike, the leadership of ASUU has reacted.
Reacting to Keyamo’s comment, the president of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke stated that he was disappointed by the minister’s comment, TheCable reported.
Source: Twitter
Prof. Osodeke made this known on Monday, August 8 during an interview on Channels Television.
The ASUU leader stated that the position of ASUU over the ongoing negotiation with the federal government is in the sole interest of Nigeria’s public universities and not the welfare of lecturers as perceived by critics.
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He said:
“For us as a union, we are not talking about ASUU. We are talking about Nigerian university system that has virtually collapsed in such a way that you don’t see students from all over of the world coming to Nigerian universities as students.”
He stated that there is a need to improve the university system in Nigeria in order to enhance the delivery of quality education.
Prof. Osodeke in his reaction rhetorically questioned why Nigerian lecturers go abroad to teach and lecturers of other countries don’t come to Nigeria to lecture.
He made reference to how thousands of Nigerian students are travelling abroad for better education and neglecting their fatherland because of the state of education in the country.
He said:
“Are we proud of this system? Will Keyamo, who had spoken, allow his children to school in Nigerian universities? That is the comical thing I saw when he was speaking and for me, why I felt so disappointed is this is someone, before he joined this partisan politics, he was one of those on the streets.”
What Keyamo said
It was gathered that Barrister Keyamo on Friday, August 5 during an interview on Channels Television said the federal government will not be held ransom and be subjected to blackmail because of ASUU.
He said:
“You cannot allow one sector of the economy to hold your jugular and blackmail you to go and borrow N1.2 trillion for overheads, when our total income is about N6.1 trillion, and you have roads, health centres to build, and other sectors to take care of.”
The academic union has been on strike since February 14 when it first made the announcement to embark on industrial action.
Since the start of the strike other academic union has also followed suit by embarking on strike thereby leaving the public university system dormant at present.
ASUU Strike: Agitation begins for bill to bar children of politicians from foreign education
In another development, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called for a legislative bill to prohibit politicians from giving their children foreign education.
This call is up on the heels of the ongoing ASUU strike and the nationwide labour strike.
Meanwhile, ASUU, NLC and other labour unions commenced a nationwide strike on Wednesday, July 27.
"Goodbye ASUU": Nigerian praises God in video as he moves abroad
Meanwhile, a Nigerian man has shared interesting updates after he successfully moved abroad for the furtherance of his studies.
The man Tweeted "goodbye ASUU" and he instantly elicited hilarious comments from Nigerians on the bird platform.
An interesting video which has been viewed many times also showed him kneeling down to thank God after he finally landed abroad.
Source: Legit.ng
