ASUU Strike: Students, parents strikes FG, politicians

There is obvious anger in the country admist preparations for the 2023 general election following the failure of the Federal Government to reach a truce with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and ensure that undergraduates affected by the ongoing strike by the union are recalled to continue their studies.

Parents and other stake holders particularly took a swipe at the Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige, and the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, over their 2023 presidential bids amid the strike.

They wondered how either of the two could be trusted with overseeing the welfare of the country as president when they could not address the problem of incessant ASUU strikes that have left university education in the country in quandary since February 14, 2022.

At the centre of the disagreement is the alleged poor implementation of the re-negotiated 2009 agreement with the union and the government’s insistence on paying the workers through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) instead of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), which the union developed and recommended for the purpose. Although negotiations have been ongoing since then, a truce was yet to be reached.

Perturbed by the situation, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) last Thursday issued a 21-dy ultimatum to the government to address the demands of the union or it would declare a three-day warning strike, a move which may get the backing of many students and parents.

A 400-level student of Theatre and Film Arts at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Theresa Luka, described the current scenario as quite unfortunate, noting that the strike is the third she has experienced since she gained admission into the university after struggles for close to three years before gaining admission.

“She included that her condition is so bad as a final year student, we were given project supervisors. But they can’t attend to us because they are on strike. The situation is boring as there is no menial job.“My word to the government is to immediately call ASUU and complete their negotiation so that this strike will be called off,” she said.

 Many students also expressed their bitter view of the strike.

“Where are these aspirants (Ngige and Nwajiuba) getting the money, N100 million, to buy expression of interest and nomination forms? This is not even part of what they will spend on campaigns? 

“

“The Minister of Labour and the Minister of State for Education must be aware of the fact that they cannot get the support of youths and students of this country in their political ambitions of becoming the president because their manner of handling the ASUU issues. How would they handle the whole country.”

Another student, Ngozi Nnawuihe, also lamented that “politicians are busy pursuing their interests for the 2023 general election” to the detriment of the students who have been at home for about 11 weeks now.

“Parents and stakeholders should rise up and speak against this bad treatment. Enough is enough,” she said.

Commenting, Mr. Daniel Ukoha described the present situation as unbearable and disastrous for students, saying some students may have to spend extra years at the university as a result of the strike. 

“These politicians should show a human face and remember that they took the oath of offices. They are supervising the destruction of the country.”

A father, Mr. Davou Dung, who said that two of her children were affected by the strike, noted that it was very sad that a government was reneging on its promises.

He warned that the prolonged strike portends a great danger to the preparations for the 2023 polls.

Dung said: “This ASUU/Federal Government disagreement leading to the prolonged strike portends a great danger to security and preparations for the 2023 elections. It is so sad that a government that promised improvement in education and security is seen to be reneging on its promise.

“I cannot see why instead of ending the negotiation by implementing the memorandum of action signed between government and ASUU government representatives such as the Minister of Labour and Employment and the Minister of State for Education are abandoning their important assignment to contest the presidential election.

“With the universities shut down and students roaming the streets, you should expect disruption to the preparations for 2023 because they are idle and an idle youth can freely be a tool for use by the devil.

“I call on FG and ASUU to immediately go back to the negotiating table to end the strike, except if government and ASUU want to tell Nigerians that Boko is truly Haram, meaning education is forbidden.”

A public affairs analyst based in Jos, Comrade Dauda Semshak, blamed both ASUU and the government for the prolonged strike, saying he expected ASUU to devise a means to put their demands to the government rather than shutting down public universities.

“After the strike, the government pays ASUU arrears of the months that they stayed at home but the students lost those months. Also, the government is insensitive to the plight of ASUU. Instead of a huge budget to finance education, they allocate a higher budget for the salaries of political appointees.

“The same government that consciously and voluntarily signed an agreement with ASUU in 2009 is telling Nigerians in 2022 that there is no money to meet ASUU’s demands. It is not reasonable. It is clear that government does not prioritise education because most of the children of the political office holders school abroad or in private universities, which the poor man cannot afford,” Semshak said.

In his contribution, a father of two students at the University of Jos, Mr. Abel Lasisi, described the situation as disheartening.

Noting that he has two children in 400-level and 300-level at the University of Jos, he explained that Nigerian students who have been affected by the strike have become burdens to their parents and guardians at home.

The father stated that immediately ASUU declared the strike and his children came home, they did not joke with their books, believing firmly that the strike would soon be called off but that did not happen.

“The situation is really a bad omen for education in this country. Government is a failure in this regard. It’s obvious that the ministries of Education and Labour cannot manage the situation. The children of the ministers are not schooled in the country. Government does not have sincerity of purpose. For students to be idle at home does not portray the government in a good light. These students are leaders of tomorrow but they are not being prepared for that future leadership role. In fact, to say the least, education in the country has collapsed completely,” Lasisi asserted

He advised parents to monitor their children closely so that they would not indulge in vices that could ruin their future.

Lasisi, who noted that ASUU was doing the right thing, advised the members to stand firm and get what belongs to them.

“They should stand firm to actualise their dream so as to revive the education system in this country till lecturers demamd ate met.