What Nigerian Students Should Do as ASUU Strike Enters 194th Day
- Nigerian students have been advised to be “patient and prayerful” as ASUU strike enters 194th day on Sunday, August 28
- Ogoegbunam Kingdom, a youth and women development advocate, who gave the advice also urged students to encourage ASUU to soft pedal in its demands
- Nigerian public universities have been on strike since February 2022 due to the strike by the lecturers’ union
FCT, Abuja - Since February 2022, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been on strike.
The numerous meetings between ASUU leadership and the federal government have yielded little or no positive result.
Source: Getty Images
ASUU’s demands, which the government is yet to meet, include funding for the revitalisation of public universities, Earned Academic Allowances, use of the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) and promotion arrears.
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The situation seemed to have worsened with the federal government’s insistence on its ‘no work no pay’ policy.
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The union had included the demand for pay as part of its conditions for calling off the strike which they embarked upon over six months ago.
However, the FG insisted that ASUU had no reason to demand pay the period it stayed out of work.
ASUU strike: NANS backs FG’s ‘no work no pay’ stance
Reacting, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) described as “wicked, selfish, and insensitive,” ASUU’s demand for payment of the six months salary arrears for the period its members were on strike.
The students’ association said ASUU’s desire to get the payments for its members portrayed the union as pursuing a narrow interest of members under the cover of fighting to revamp the education sector, Premium Times reported.
Commenting on the development, Ogoegbunam Kingdom, a youth and women development advocate, urged students to be “patient and prayerful” as “ASUU further engages the FG to resolve the long lingering strike.”
“The students should as well explore all options and hold the government accountable and as well encourage ASUU to soft pedal in its demands to enable a compromise between ASUU and the FG,” Mr Kingdom, who is the executive director of the Platform for Youth and Women Development, told Legit.ng.
Average Nigerian politician earns more than a professor - Kingdom
Speaking on the FG’s ‘no work no pay’ stance, Mr Kingdom said it's unfortunate that Nigeria which is supposedly called Giant of Africa cannot invest in its educational sector, noting that education is the backbone of development in any developing society.
“The federal government’s lack of commitment to resolving the ASUU strike is appaling, unfortunate and irresponsible.
“Nigeria is the only country where an average politician earns more than a Professor and a Professor after lecturing is still owed, it can not happen in any serious and any responsible government,” Mr Kingdom said.
ASUU to announce indefinite strike
Meanwhile, ASUU is reportedly set to announce an indefinite strike as the federal government failed to meet up with its demands.
It was learnt that most of the over 123 branches of the union have taken the final decision at their different congresses while others are expected to round off on Wednesday, August 24.
A leader of the union who does not want his name to be mentioned revealed that a proposal of the indefinite strike would be adopted on Sunday, August 28, when ASUU will hold its national executive council (NEC) meeting.
Source: Legit.ng
