The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has declared that the Federal Government of Nigeria is polluting and diluting the configuration of Academia in the country with the introduction of the IPPIS scheme.
ASUU made the claim in a statement issued on Saturday by its National President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, who maintained that the union will not suspend its ongoing strike action.
Professor Ogunyemi who issued the statement during a stakeholder’s meeting at the Union’s Secretariat at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said that government may trigger another round of crisis should it force ASUU members into the IPPIS Scheme.
He noted that unlike other sectors, nothing has been put in place by the federal government in accordance with the COVID-19 health protocols for reopening of schools adding that, “Students’ hostels, lecture rooms and laboratories do not meet standards of schools in other countries”, which he said is part of the reasons for the strike.
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“The narratives coming from government quarters do not edify what the University stands for. What they have said about us does not represent what we are doing, but because they have polluted us with those undeserving of the job.
“As we speak, IPPIS is recruiting people without subjecting them to due process of employment. They are polluting and diluting the configuration of Academia.
“We will revisit the whole thing after this strike. Any department or Faculty where you think due process was not followed in recruiting staff, reject them. We will stand by you.
“The Nigerian Project cannot be made possible unless our Universities rise to the occasion. Our stakeholders have a duty to listen to all parties.
“The ASUU strike of 2013 that lasted 6 months, we wrote about 59 letters and had 20 meetings but in this ongoing strike we’ve written about four letters and we’ve had few meetings. We’ve met with the Senate President and the Speaker and several Ministers but the only language they understand is strike action,” he said.
www.ripplesnigeria.com
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