How we forced Nigerian govt to fund varsities in last 25 years – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) said on Monday it used the frequent strike in the university system to force the Federal Government to fund the nation’s ivory towers in the last 25 years.

The Chairman of ASUU, University of Ibadan chapter, Ayo Akinwole, stated this at a media briefing in Ibadan, Oyo State.

He said the union embarked on the current strike in order to force the federal government to improve funding of public universities in the country.

The varsity don added that ASUU gave the federal government a 14-month notice before embarking on the strike seven months ago.

ASUU embarked on a 30-day warning strike on February 14 following the federal government’s refusal to honour an agreement signed by both parties.

The union is demanding a review of the condition of service every five years, revitalisation of public universities, and adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as an alternative to the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS) for payment of salaries, among others.

Akinwole said: “Lecturers retain Nigerian public universities with their blood, but is it right for Nigerians to say they should die on the job? I am saying they are owing us over eight years verified earned academic allowances.

“Is it only ASUU that is on strike? Some sectors (research institutes) of the nation have been on strike for 13 months and the government has been paying their salaries.

READ ALSO: How my govt ended ASUU strike in one night – Jonathan

“Is it an offence to become lecturers in Nigerian universities? What led to the strike? It is the non-responsiveness of the government that led to the strike.

“We waited for 14 months from December 2020 to February 2022 before declaring this strike. I am saying 14 months’ notice, 14 months engagements and Nigeria Inter-religious council intervened in 2021, when we would have declared the strike.

“We gave them one month with no result. Heroes are gone before they are appreciated, but our union will not die. We will not die. We are going to be alive to see this struggle through.

“If ASUU does not go on this struggle, there will be no university for new people to attend. In the last 25 years, the federal government would not have spent money on its universities, if ASUU had not gone on strike.

“I am also a parent and my children are at home with me. Most lecturers have to spend their money on their students’ projects for some students to graduate.

“I could give you numbers of some of my students who can tell you how much I have had to support their projects.”

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