Labour Minister, Ngige, reacts to ASUU strike threat, says govt can’t fund education alone

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has said that education cannot be funded by the government alone.

The minister stated this while speaking about the looming industrial action threatened by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) when he appeared on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Tuesday.

Ngige, who agreed that the state of education in the country was not anything to cheer about, noted that the standard had fallen, and maintained that education cannot be funded by the government alone.

“I know that because I schooled here in Nigeria. I did my primary education, secondary and university here and I did my post-graduate outside the country. But I can tell you, in other climes education is not only done by government,” he said.

Ripples Nigeria reported that ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, had on Monday issued a three-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to address all issues in the December 2020 Agreement.

Read also: ASUU is not asking for things that are impossible —Ngige

He warned that should the government fail to implement the Memorandum of Action signed with ASUU before the suspension of the last industrial action, the union would be compelled to embark on another nationwide strike.

Osodeke highlighted that some of the issues include unpaid allowances as well as the universities revitalisation fund.

However, Ngige maintained that he had continued to do everything within his power to meet their demands.

“As Minister of Labour, I have even crossed my territory. I have done extra-territorial jobs to make sure that we satisfy their members.

“They know I’m doing my best for them, I am the one talking to finance, education and the NUC,” he said.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now