The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said that the union gave the federal government a 14-month notice before commencing the ongoing nationwide strike on February 14. The Chairman, ASUU University of Ibadan Chapter, Prof Ayo Akinwole, made the disclosure in Ibadan, adding that there would be no public universities for Nigerians to attend later because of the decay unless the lecturers embark on strike to demand for an overhaul. Daily Independent reports that Akinwole asked Nigerians to disregard the lies of the federal government. According to the ASUU Boss, the Union gave 14-month strike notice to the federal government before commencing the strike in 2022 adding that even the effort of the Nigerian Interreligious council in 2021 yielded no results before the Union was forced to declare the strike on February 14, 2022.
“We waited for 14 months from December 2020 to February 2022 before declaring this strike. I am saying 14 months’ notice, 14 months of engagements and the Nigeria Inter-religious council intervened in 2021 when we would have declared the strike. We gave them one month with no results.
“Heroes are gone before they are appreciated but our union will not die. We will not die. We are going to be alive to see this struggle through.
“The N1.1trillion naira for revitalisation of universities was not for lecturers in public universities. The amount was arrived at by the Federal government through her NEEDS Assessment report on the level of decay in Nigerian public universities.”
“If ASUU does not go on this struggle, there will be no university for new people to attend. In the last 25 years, the federal government will not spend money on their university unless ASUU goes on strike.
“Does that show they are responsible? I am also a parent and my children are home with me. Most lecturers have to spend their money on their students’ projects for some students to graduate. I could give you the numbers of some of my students who can tell you how much I have had to support their projects.
“Lecturers retain Nigerian public universities with their blood. But it is right for Nigerians to say they should die on the job. I am saying; they are owing us over eight years of verified earned academic allowances. Is it ASUU only that is on strike?
“Some sectors (research institutes) of the nation have been on strike for 13months and the government has been paying their salaries. Is it an offence to become a lecturer in Nigerian universities? What led to the strike? It is non-responsiveness of government that led to the strike.”
