ASUU has introduced lies, politics into strike —Okonjo-Iweala •Herbalists back ASUU

WITH the ongoing strike emabarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) entering its fourth month, pamphlets and fliers with abusive and inflammatory messages about the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, have gone viral in mosques and other places.

Messages contained in the fliers include the accusation that the minister is pursuing a dangerous policy capable of destroying the country’s educational system and the enslavement of the Nigerians citizens.

“Universities are not exempted from  dangerous policy of “underfunding” being vigorously pursued by the Ngozi-Iweala-controlled government, targeted at destroying the country and ensuring the enslavement of it’s citizens. This is a Bretton-woods imposed policy which every free and patriotic Nigerian must resist,” the content stated.

The fliers, entitled: Nigeria’s University System and the Menace of underfunding,”  also bore in them deplorable state of hostels and general conditions of living among students on campus as well as a chart depicting the GDP spent on education in 2012 alone by 14 countries.

In the chart, in which Nigeria comes lowest in allocation to education, Denmark came first, followed by neighbouring Ghana and Botswana, third.

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has accused members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities of taking unionism to an all-time low with its latest approach to its face-off with the Federal Government.

Okonjo-Iweala said ASUU has introduced lies and politics into its strike, which is in its fourth month.

She said the union has been distributing flyers riddled with lies in mosques in the North.

According to a statement by her Special Adviser, Paul C. Nwabuikwu, the minister, said contrary to the position of ASUU, she has not taken a take-it-or-leave-it approach.

Rather, Nwabuikwu said it was ASUU that has taken the take-it-or-leave-it approach.

He quoted the minister as saying that no government has been as responsive to the demands of the striking lecturers as that of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The statement reads in full: “Contrary to some recent media reports, the Federal Government has not adopted a take-it-or-leave-it approach in its negotiations with ASUU. Rather, the approach is focused on positive engagement and achieving sustainable solutions to the challenges facing higher education in the country. That is why President Goodluck Jonathan recently appealed to ASUU to respond to government’s positive steps by calling off its strike in the interest of suffering students and parents.

“Despite this, for several days now, some elements in ASUU have been distributing pamphlets and flyers with abusive and inflammatory messages against the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in mosques and other places. This is taking academic unionism to a new low and infusing it with unnecessary politics. I am sure majority of ASUU members are not in support of this.

“These messages are directed at using falsehood to demonize the minister as callous and unsympathetic to the plight of students and parents. The major lie being peddled in the pamphlets and flyers is that Dr Okonjo-Iweala has insisted on a “take-it-or-leave-it approach” in the negotiations with ASUU. Nothing could be further from the truth.

“Dr Okonjo-Iweala is the daughter of two retired professors and her father is presently a member of ASUU’s Board of Trustees and has been one for a long time. She speaks with her father everyday on the issue so how can she be insensitive to issues concerning the sad state of tertiary education in the country? She understands and sympathizes with the plight of both students and lecturers. She wants our children back in school as soon as possible. Remember she is a mother and two of her young relatives are sitting at home due to the strike.

“This is why government is working hard, under the leadership of the President, to seek practical and sustainable solutions to the challenges facing higher education in Nigeria. The President has made available N100 billion a year in the first instance to repair hostels, laboratories and classrooms and other facilities. An offer has also been made to ASUU of N30 billion towards their earned allowances. In fact, negotiations have even gone further than this. This is the first time, in years of negotiating with government, that significant sums of money have been put on the table for ASUU and universities on this particular set of issues. The Coordinating Minister is fully part of this.

“Against this background, ASUU elements who want the strike to continue should have a heart and rethink their current take-it-or-leave-it approach to negotiation. Government has demonstrated its commitment to improving the university system. And it is even ready to do much more going forward. ASUU should listen to the voice of reason and the yearnings of Nigerians on this issue.”

Herbalists back ASUU over strike
The umbrella body of the Nigerian herbalists in Oyo State on Monday threw its weight behind the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over its ongoing nationwide strike and pledged its support to the body.

The herbalists say they will continue to back the ongoing ASUU strike but did not say how.

The leader of the group, Arunoyemi Asanlaye, gave the commitment at a town hall meeting organised by the University of Ibadan, UI, branch of the union.

“We are in support of ASUU on the ongoing strike,” he said.

The meeting, which was held at the Trenchard Hall, University Ibadan, had in attendance, academia, students and members of the public, where update on the four months old strike was discussed.

Nigerian students, who attended the programme in large numbers, called on the striking lecturers to ensure that they achieve their aim before calling it off.

According to them, any compromise without the government acceeding to their demands will amount to betrayal.

The students also expressed their displeasure over the failure of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to join the strike and force the Federal Government to implement the 2009 agreement between it and the university teachers.

Also speaking, Olusegun Ajiboye, ASUU chairman, UI chapter, said the union would use any method to actualize its demands.

He explained that the struggle was not about the salaries of lecturers but the funding of education in the country.

“We are using so many methods. We cannot tell you when to move to Bodija market. That is part of our strategies. Instead of begging ASUU, the government should declare a state of emergency in the education sector,” he said.

While responding to the call by the students, Bashir Olanrewaju, the NLC Chairman in Oyo State, informed that the leadership of the congress was cautious about joining the ASUU in a solidarity strike because they did not want to paralyse the nation’s entire system.

“By Wednesday, we will come out with a more proactive stance on the strike,” he said. “Though, students have called on us to go on strike, we will not go on strike now. We will only mediate. If an affiliate has a problem, joining it in strike will collapse the whole system. We have never been docile about the incident.”