The lecturers told students and parents to be ready for a prolonged strike.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Thursday insisted that it would not open fresh negotiation with the Federal Government on the agreement reached with the latter on the management of Nigerian universities in 2009.
Ademola Aremu, the National Treasurer of the Union, who gave the hint on Thursday, urged members to stockpile food stuff in preparation for a sustained battle with the government over the controversial pact.
ASUU has been on an indefinite strike for over three weeks over government’s refusal to honour the 2009 agreement and a 2012 Memorandum of Understanding between both parties.
The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, had said on Monday that the Goodluck Jonathan administration could not implement the agreement as it is. He said the government would renegotiate the agreement with the lecturers.
But, Mr. Aremu, speaking at a symposium held at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, said the strike will continue until the government “comes to term with reality.”
The official, a former University of Ibadan chairman of ASUU, accused the government of deceit and insincerity. He described as ruse, the claim by the government that it lacked sufficient money to implement the agreement, saying government only needs to stop the frivolity it spends on.
“Nigeria votes the least budget to education, while siphoning huge sums to irrelevant projects that do not encourage research and development,” he said.
Themed: “Education, Research and Development in Nigeria,” Thursday’s symposium was organised by the University of Ibadan Branch of ASUU at Paul Hendrickse Hall of the College of Medicine, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
Discussants at the symposium included Mr. Aremu; Segun Ajiboye, incumbent ASUU Chairman of the university; Millicent Obajimi, former Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association; Abass Abdulsalaam; and Femi Afolabi.
“We believe that many of the Nigerian leaders wanted public education dead, reason they have been establishing well equipped private universities at the expense of the poor masses of this country.
“But, we will not allow them the way they did to public primary and secondary education”, the university teachers noted.
Source: Premium Times
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