ASUU: FG Showing Lack Of Commitment To Ending Strike

asuu

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said yet again, that the federal government has not shown any commitment or seriousness towards the implementation of the 2009 agreement as a way of resolving the ongoing strike.

The union also noted that the government has not given Nigerians much reasons to celebrate the 53rd anniversary of the country as an independent nation, especially when considering the high rate of insecurity in the country.

Speaking with THISDAY in a telephone interview yesterday, Chairman of ASUU, University of Abuja chapter, Dr. Clement Chup, lamented that President Goodluck Jonathan, in his presidential chat aired on Sunday night, chose to describe the ongoing strike as one that had taken on a political dimension.

“Unfortunately, when he was asked the nature of politics, he did not respond, he did not tell us how the strike is political. So, I do not know what exactly he means by saying the strike has turned political.

“Government clearly has not shown any commitment and from what the president was saying yesterday, you could see that there is no commitment: the way he was talking about the strike, as if it is one small issue that does not matter. If he so feels so, we are saying that we are ones at the receiving end and we are committed to this strike,” Chup said.

He added that the union’s meeting with Vice-President Namadi Sambo, about two weeks ago, yielded no fruit, as all state congresses of the union had rejected Sambo’s pleas for the union to end the strike.

According to him, the vice-president did not offer anything ‘concrete’.

He therefore said that the strike, which was declared total, indefinite and comprehensive from the onset, would not be reneged on by the union.

“There was some discussion with the vice-president two weeks ago and we took it to the congresses, that the vice-president simply made appeals to ASUU, there was nothing concrete. And so the congresses resolved that there was nothing substantial and they are continuing with the strike. This is to tell you that we have not heard anything concrete or serious from government. From the commencement of the strike we declared clearly that it was a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike, and that unless government shows commitment to the implementation of the 2009 agreement, we are not reneging on this strike, it remains so,” he added.

Speaking on Nigeria’s 53rd independence anniversary, Chup said: “At 53, maybe we can just celebrate that we are still a nation, but our government has not given us enough reasons to be hopeful, there is no motivation. Even yesterday during the media chat, one was disappointed because there is nothing he took serious, there is no concrete measure to solve any problem. One begins to wonder what kind of people we have in government: no commitment or seriousness, or responsibility. As a country, if we have the right people in position, we would make progress.”

11 COMMENTS

  1. ASUP promises to resume strike on Friday,NUT threatens to join ASUU in the strike saga,the fed govt. however warns NUT to stay clear off…PHCN resumes strike tomorrow…Today is our INDEPENDENCE,and here Strike! Strike!! Strike!!!…LORD help us…
    I dream of a nation where we would have a new script cos everyone is tired of our current script…#TEAM CHANGE#HOPE NIGERIA#

  2. good leadership is 1 step 2 national integration. there’s no need 2 celebrate @53,if jonathan does not recognise d reason why we voted them.
    however, jonathans assures its citizen he can move d nation forward, claiming he had no shoes but failed.

  3. This is a clear case of wrong PRESIDENT.He made good example that Ghana universities were shut down for one year and ours is just three months now.No solution to Boko-Haram,Kidnapping.Only to have Beautiful women in cabinet.What a PLAY BOY PRESI.CARRY GO OMO

  4. Which one be NUT own sef? Abi dey jst wan say may den hear say den dey exist? Abeg make person no come spoil our show, leave our str*gle 4 us. NLC been talk, where den dey now? Abeg we no invite anibody, we feel do-am. Den go come make noise go sleep, which one be dat? Am tired dis nonsenc noises. Just leave us alone, u noise makers. Ee de vex me

  5. This is a clear case of wrong PRESIDENT.He made good example that Ghana universities were shut down for one year and ours is just three months now.No solution to Boko-Haram,Kidnapping.Only to have Beautiful women in cabinet.What a PLAY BOY PRESI.CARRY GO OGA JONA.

  6. I guess we are totally loosing hope on federal government nothing is political and if it’s political what is the outcome. The president it is over and over keep your hand away from bad progression and lead us to better part we have forgotten our matric number attend to asuu in the best position and end the strike.

  7. ASUU is a fucking UNION, they don’t mean well for Nigeria students. Without being bias, I listened to the president’s media chat, the country is going through a lot in terms of security challenge and he is not the cause. So much money is going into security more than ever before, I expect this academicians to understand. What they going to do with 3trillion. They don’t have inventory of facilities in the school, and what is the business of state own universities with federal government,HABATICALLY, who is fooling who?

  8. It took Ghanian Varsity Teachers two years of total and comprehensive strke tp get their Govt do what was needful to guarantee quality learning and research in Ghanian Universities.Today,Nigerians of affluence scramble to secure spaces in thpse universities for their wards.ASUU nust not fail Nigeria this time around.They must sustain this strike for as long as it wil take the fed.Govt.to meet all their demands,without an exception.Partial compliance or commitment does not suffice.Nigerian students must see this as a struggle to put things right,once and for all.ASUU must not,like the NLC often does,betray our expectations.As a doctorial student of a Nigerian University,Who has been a vivid witness of the structural and academic decay in our varsities,I am willing to sacrifice in support of this strike,moreso to teach Nigerian Political Leaders lessons on how not to violate agrrment freely entered by parties.Agreements are sancosant.They are meant to be obseved.And all violators of agreement,being outlaws,ought suffer some detriment in form of punishment.The Fed Govt,not being an exception should be lampooned by public opinion and accordingly punished by Nigerians at the next election.