Stop paying lip service to education, ASUU urges FG

The Owerri Zone Academic Staff Union of Universities has asked the Federal Government to stop paying lip service to public education in the country.

Zonal coordinator of the zone, Dennis Aribodor, accused the Federal Government of underfunding public education in the country at a press conference in Owerri, Imo State, on Monday.

He also accused the Federal Government  of treating university lecturers as “16th century slaves.”

He announced that ASUU nationwide would be shutting down the universities in the next 14 days should the Federal Government fails to address the welfare issues affecting public university lecturers in Nigeria.

Aribodor said, “The resolution of the National Executive Council of the ASUU, following its meeting at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, on 17th-18th August 2024, gave a 21-day ultimatum to the government of Nigeria to address all the unresolved issues that have plagued the public university system. Tis ultimatum was duly communicated to the government through the Minister of Education via a letter dated 20th August 2024.

“The issues in contention include (a) conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement of 2021; (b) release of withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries due to the 2022 strike action; (c) release of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, (d) release of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions; (e) funding for the revitalization of public universities, partly captured in the 2023 Federal Government budget; (g) payment of Earned Academic Allowances, partly captured in the 2023 Federal Government budget; (h) proliferation of universities by Federal and state governments; (i) implementation of the reports of visitation panels to universities; and (j) University Transparency and Accountability Solution as a replacement for IPPIS.

“The leadership of ASUU met to review the government’s response on Thursday, 19th September 2024 and noted with regret that the government’s failure to fully implement the Memoranda of Understanding/Actions arising from the FGN/ASUU Agreement of 2009, particularly between 2013 and 2020, had continued to exacerbate crises in public universities. In particular, the government’s failure to conclude the renegotiation of the FGN-ASUU Agreement has lingered for upward of seven years, and implementing the agreement has not helped matters, especially given the current economic realities in the country. Government wage awards should not and cannot replace the finalization of the draft FGN-ASUU Agreement package, which was etched on collective bargaining principles.

“Also, the government’s refusal to address non-monetary issues, such as the removal of universities from IPPIS, despite a presidential directive and a court order, is deeply troubling. In 2020, ASUU responded to the government’s challenge to provide an alternative and more efficient payment platform by developing the UTAS, a purely homegrown technology solution. However, the government has refused to accept this homegrown solution alternative despite its superiority to IPPIS.

“Furthermore, the government’s failure to implement the recommendations of visitation panels and amend the National Universities Commission Act to prevent the proliferation of public universities, despite claiming a lack of funds to support existing institutions, is not only alarming but embarrassing. When it suits their interests, government agents expressly amend old laws and pass new ones without much ado. However, the same political elites ignore ASUU’s consistent demands for quality university education and treat the country’s scholars like 16th-century slaves in their rabid pursuit of bountiful dividends of “contractoracy” and constituency projects.

“What has become clear from recent engagements is that the current government has continued with the old antics, characterized by bureaucratic bottlenecks, time-buying tactics, denial of documentation, and lack of budgetary provisions, to confound and complicate matters. It is a fact that funds were allocated for payment of EAA and revitalization of public universities in the 2023 budget. It is also true that the 0residential directive on moving academics out of the IPPIS platform has not been heeded for close to one year! Our union shall not sit idly and watch agents of government undermine its resolve to cater to the welfare of its members and protect the integrity of the university system through these and similar acts of provocation.

“Information available to ASUU does not support the government’s claims of insufficient funds but points squarely to a deficit of political will. The substantial inflows from subsidy removal and devaluation of the naira, translating to the humongous monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee disbursements to the three tiers of government, make nonsense of the outlandish claims. Elementary economics suggests that both federal and state governments do not prioritize the welfare and well-being of Nigerian academics; otherwise, the prolonged engagements with ASUU should have yielded fruitful outcomes for stability and industrial harmony in the Nigerian University System.

“ASUU reiterates her firm belief in the principles of dialogue and collective bargaining, as enshrined in the International Labour Organization Conventions of which Nigeria is a signatory for resolving all issues. This is why ASUU has been consulting leaders of thought, including former presidents, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and the leadership of the National Assembly, on how to peacefully resolve the lingering issues to the benefit of Nigeria’s public university system and the nation at large.

“However, the government’s continued use of empty promises, non-committal attitude, and delay tactics is fanning the embers of crisis in our public university system. Lecturers are hungry and angry! Therefore, we call on all well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on governments to address these outstanding issues in line with the African Union’s strategy of using the path of quality and accessible education towards realizing the AU Agenda 2063. This is especially as 2024 has been declared the African Union Year of Education. The Nigerian ruling class should stop paying lip service to fund public education, which they benefited from in their days.

“Given the foregoing, ASUU has resolved to give the Nigerian government another 14 days, in addition to the earlier 21 days, beginning from Monday, 23rd September 2024, during which all the lingering issues should be satisfactorily addressed. ASUU should not be held responsible for any industrial disharmony that may arise from the government’s failure to seize the new opportunity offered by ASUU to nip the looming crisis in the bud. We also call on the Anambra and Imo State governments to show more interest in the welfare issues of our members at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam and Imo State University, Owerri, for the good of all. The Federal Government is urged to seize this 14-day window and avert another industrial crisis in our public universities.”