ASUU STRIKE: TUC TASKS FG, LECTURERS ON DIALOGUE

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to wade into the strike embarked upon by varsity lecturers and immediately dialogue with them to resolve issues raised.

In a statement, the congress said it is worried that an agreement that was entered into in 2009 is still foot dragging eight years after, adding that the union was even magnanimous enough to even sign another Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2013 wherein the issues at stake were duly interrogated.

“On our part, we have examined the issues raised by the lecturers and did not find them wanting in anyway: they have asked for revitalization of public universities; the registration of the Nigerian Universities Pension Management Company and pension matters, among others. The reason we are where we are today as a nation is because the UNESCO benchmark of 26% for education has never been met, not even half of it by successive governments.

Nations that are doing well today do not pay lips service to the education sector ”, TUC said in a statement signed by its President and secretary, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama and Musa Lawal M. Ozigi.

TUC said it feels pained by this development because virtually all the people in power today attended public schools.

“They were fed from public treasury. Some schooled abroad on scholarship. They have made nonsense of our education system because their children school abroad, and of course they go for graduation ceremony.

“The implication of this strike is that more youth may go into crime. The dictum: “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop” may play out here again. As at today there is no part of the country that is crime free. Only a week ago, worshippers were killed in a church; insecurity in the north has not abated. In the west, it has been a harvest of kidnappings and ritual killings. The news is all over on the social media about Nigerian migrants dying on the high seas almost on daily basis. And now ASUU strike again?”, the union queried.

It called on well meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Federal Government to listen to the voice of reason by honouring the agreements and for the lecturers to make needed sacrifice.