The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Calabar zone, has described the failure of the Federal government to keep to the agreement it entered with the union over the years as a case of social injustice.
The coordinator of the zone and Senior lecturer in the department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Uyo (UNIUYO) Dr. Aniekan Brown made the assertion during an interview in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.
Brown stressed that it was even most unfair when the Federal government gave Nigerians the impression that the union was the cause of the prolonged strike, whereas it has not been straightforward in its actions towards resolving the problem.
He expressed disappointment that the same government that says that it could not borrow N1.1trillion to end the lingering strike has been borrowing for other things that matters to them, the political class.
His words: “And if the government says it cannot borrow N1.1trillion for education, yet that government is borrowing for other things, it is a pointer to where the interest of such a government lies.
“It means some of them are seeing Education as a case of expenditure when essentially Education is a case of investing in the future of the country. Since 2017 and 2018 government has been giving itself timelines. But when it matters to them they would quickly do something.
” And because their children are not in universities here this doesn’t concern them. If it were the aviation industry that concerns them they would have solved it. Now, I see that as a case of social injustice, and abuse of social contract.
“Nigeria government is borrowing for so many things. It was easy for them to release N4.6trillion for the so-called fuel subsidy. It came around with a Supplementary Appropriation Bill of 4.6trillion naira for the fuel subsidy in three days, but we are still buying fuel excess of the benchmark price.
“And this gives you a picture of subterfuge. My union is committed to the resolution of this problem that is why we are always open to discussions”
On the N150billion revitalization fund the Federal government said it would to inject into 2023 budget, he responded, “I will encourage journalists to ask the Minister for Education how many times they had promised to inject something in other years’ budget and if they had done it? That is what they always say, at the end they won’t do it”
