on Thursday described the threat by the
federal government to sack lecturers if they
don’t return to classroom as empty threat that
could not hold water.
The union said it is vindicated that the Federal
government was not ready to implement
resolutions reached with the union.
ASUU said the threat will fail, adding that Nigerian
public universities need 60,000 lecturers due to
government’s failure to employ more capable hands
into the system.
The union said federal government is wasting the
time of Nigerians youths by failing to perfect the
resolutions and get the strike suspended.
The union added it had reasons to be wary
following the failure of government to honour their
promises to Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics,
resident doctors and other health workers who
have suspended their strikes.
The ASUU National Treasurer, Dr. Ademola Aremu,
while responding to the government’s directive,
said the threat does not hold water as it has
confirmed the fears that the federal government
cannot be trusted.
The don said, “With the latest action, the federal
government has shown that they are not
committed to all they have been saying. We are
saying that since we agreed at the meeting that the
sum of 200 billion naira is for 2012 and 2013
revitalisation, the federal government should
deposit same in the Central Bank of Nigerian. We
are already in November and December is around
the corner. If they don’t do that now, when do they
want to do it? We are saying the non-victimization
clause should be included as agreed while the
renegotiation of the 2009 agreement should be
included as agreed with the presidents”.
“It is a pity if the federal government is not willing
to perfect the resolutions reached with union. This
is why we find it difficult to trust our leaders by
their words. How can someone be threatening to
sack lecturers when universities are already short-
staffed by almost 60,000. We are not in military
era. The military tried it and failed. This one will fail
again. They can re-open the school. ASUU did not
shut down the universities. It was the management
of the schools that ordered the students to go back
home.”
