Posted by: Peter on October 3, 2013
As the national struggle of ASUU to save Public Education
especially the University system entered its third months, the
Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU has accused the Federal
Government of paying lip-service to Education development in Nigeria.
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Dr Karo Ogbinaka, ASUU Acting Zonal Coordinator, Ibadan Zone said:
“After the meeting of Tuesday, 19th September 2013 with the Vice
President, it is clear that the FGN is merely paying lip-service to
Education in Nigeria and deceiving the Nigerian Public on their
commitment to its transformation agenda.”
Ogbinaka who urged the Nigerian people not to be deceived by the
Federal Government said, “How can there be a meaningful transformation
when the Education sector is neglected and gradually taken over by
Private entrepreneurs including government functionaries who are busy
building private Universities with stolen funds in and outside Nigeria?”
He re-affirmed ASUU decision not to back-out in its struggle for the
emancipation of Nigerian people through ensuring that the government of
the day is made to do what is right in the Education Sector.
According to him, this is a commitment that all members of the Union have vowed to pursue to its logical conclusion.
“Our appeal to all patriotic Nigerians is for them to support ASUU
in this struggle to safe our Public Education in Nigeria and secure the
future of this great country, he added.
In a released, Ogbinaka said that in spite of the spirited efforts
of the Union to revamp the rot in the system, the government has
remained adamant and intransigent in honouring the agreement it freely
entered into with the Union in 2009.
He noted that ASUU has demonstrated great commitment and patriotism
since 2006 when the negotiation started and culminated in the 2009
agreement. He pointed out that the Union has allowed government to use
its agencies to verify the claims of decrepit infrastructure in the
University System.
“This resulted in the production of the Needs Assessment Document of 2012,” he said.
Ogbinaka disclosed that in the negotiation of the agreement, the
government was made up of important personalities in Nigeria under the
Chairmanship of Deacon Gamaliel Onosode with Professor Musa Abdullahi,
Professor Greg-lwu, Professor Mahmood Yakubu adding, Professor Julius
Okijie, Professor Ibidapo Obe, Professor Peter Adeniyi and several
notable individuals served as Advisers.
He explained that for many years after the agreement was signed by
both parties, ASUU has expressed its frustrations at government
negative disposition in honouring the agreement.
He said:
“When it became obvious that the Federal Government
is bent on reneging on the 2009 ASUU/FGN Agreement and 2012 MOU, the
Union had no alternative than to commence this painful strike action.
“Since the commencement of this strike, government has equally
demonstrated to Nigerians its unwillingness to implement the agreement
freely entered to with ASUU, After several meetings between ASUU team
and representatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria, there has
been absolute demonstration of bad faith by Government.
“This led to the intervention of the Vice President of Nigeria, Arch, Nnamadi Sambo.
“The Ibadan Zone of the Union comprising University of Ibadan,
University of Lagos, Onabisi Onabanjo University, University of
Agriculture Abeokuta, Lagos State University, and Tai Solarin
University of Education, Ijebu-Ode are resolved to continue with this
crusade to force the FGN to faithfully implement the 2009 Agreement and
2012 MOU in order to safe and secure the future of our children.
The highlights of the agreement which involves amongst other things:
to reverse the decay in the University System in order to reposition it
for greater responsibilities in National development, to reverse the
brain drain plaguing Nigerian Public Universities, to restore
Universities through immediate massive and sustainable financial
intervention (proper funding); and to ensure genuine University
autonomy and academic freedom.