By Gabriel Dike
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Thursday asked Nigerians, especially parents and students to hold the Federal Government responsible for another round of strikes in the public universities.
The union also said despite a series of promises made by President Bola Tinubu to address their demands, nothing has come out of it to date.
The positions were stated at a protest rally by the ASUU University of Lagos branch, which attracted the support of UNILAG students as they decried the government’s attitude towards their lecturers’ demands.
The protest rally took off after the congress of ASUU-UNILAG members spoke in support of their union’s positions on the outstanding demands.
The lecturers and students carried different placards and denounced the government’s insensitivity to their plight as they danced to songs dished out by band boys.
The protest passed through some roads on the campus and made a stopover at the main gate with different executives reeling out their demands and pleading with Nigerians to intervene before it is too late.
Addressing the rally, the branch chairman of ASUU-UNILAG, Prof. Kayode Adebayo categorically informed parents and students to blame the government if the union decides to embark on another strike based on unfulfilled promises.
Prof. Adebayo told the gathering that despite several negotiations, discussions and letters since 2009, the government remained insensitive to their demands.
He said: “The struggle is not only for ASUU but for the university system. We no longer trust politicians, they promised and failed to fulfil. Don’t blame the union for another strike, hold the federal government responsible.”
The former branch chairman, Dr Dele Ashiru said the protest is one of ASUU’s attempts to draw the attention of the government to the numerous challenges facing the university system and in particular, lecturers, whose take-home pay today cannot take them home.
“We have written a series of letters to the government, met with government officials including the national assembly and gone on strikes and for 15 years, the issues remained unresolved. As of today, the take-home pay of Nigerian professors is about N600,000, which is not up to what lawmakers use for lunch or dinner.
“The federal government must address our demands and failure to implement them, we will not guarantee academic stability on campuses.
“We call on the Tinubu administration to pay the withheld salaries, outstanding earned academic allowance, stop payment of our salaries through IPPIS, pay deduction of third party dues and other demands of the union.
“We cannot guarantee smooth academic activities on our various campuses. If another round of strike should take place in the universities, the federal government should be held responsible. Our National Executive Council will certainly decide the next line of action.’’
A member of the union, Dr. Michael Oloyede explained that university lecturers nationwide are facing a lot of challenges with many struggling to meet the needs of their families, pay school fees and medical bills.
“If strike is the language the federal government understand, we will give it to them. Lecturers cannot continue to teach with an empty stomach. The government should fulfil the agreement signed with ASUU. The union cannot be oppressed.’’
Some of the students backed their lecturers’ struggle for better working conditions and called on the government to address the issues in contention before the system is thrown into another strike.