The Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), comprising University of Benin, Benin City; Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Delta State University, Abraka; Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island and the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, has vowed that there is no going back on the ongoing nationwide strike by ASUU.
Addressing newsmen in Benin on Friday, the co-ordinator of the zone, Dr. Sunny Ighalo, said the reason for the current action is fast becoming a cliche, having gone on series of industrial actions before now for the same reason of the Federal Government refusal to fully implement the agreement reached with the union in October 2009.
According to him, the refusal of the government to honour and fully implement the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement has had negative consequences on our universities.
Ighalo who said the briefing was a feedback from the national body declared: “For the purpose of emphasis, the current strike is total, comprehensive and definite, meaning that all formal academic activities including teaching, supervision, examination and all statutory and ad hoc committee meetings have been suspended forthwith.
“It is clear that the Jonathan government has not learnt anything from the mistakes of previous governments that are notoriously known for fragrant disrespect for agreements, due process and rule of law. Government must be compelled to find solution to the brain drain issue and infrastructural decay in the system. This is what this on-going strike is fundamentally all about.”
While recalling the issues at stake, the zonal coordinator said: “The recent Report of Needs Assessment of Nigerian Universities speaks volume and has confirmed a litany of negative manifestations plaguing Nigerian public universities, including inadequate, dilapidated, over-stretched, overcrowded and improvise physical facilities for teaching and learning including laboratories.
“The report also confirmed the fact that teaching staff are inadequate, bottom-heavy many under-qualified, with universities over-relying on visiting lecturers to operate, inadequate, dilapidated, overcrowded students’ hostels with overstretched toilet and other facilities.
“To be sure, all these problems are product of underfunding and deliberate neglect of our universities by the government. Comrades, the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement is fundamentally meant to apprehend these problems and restore our universities to the path of progress and reckoning.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, the key areas on which the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement is anchored or predicated include funding requirements for revitalization of Nigerian universities; Federal Government assistance to state universities; progressive increase of annual budgetary allocation to education to 26% between 2009 and 2020.”
The agreement, Igholo said, also include Earned Academic Allowances; amendment of the pension/retirement age of academics on the professorial cadre from 65 to 70 years; transfer of Federal Government landed property to universities; setting up of research and development units by companies operating in Nigeria and teaching and research equipment provision to our laboratories and classrooms.
