By DAPO FALADE
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has alleged that the Nigerian Elite are conspiring to wipe out public university education in the country.
This was as the union accused the Federal Government of holding on to its check off dues deducted on behalf of the union between February and June 2020.
Chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter of the union, Professor Ayo Akinwole, said this on Sunday, adding that the plan was to replace public university education, which provides education to over 90 per cent of Nigerian students, with private universities owned by themselves and their collaborators.
He said the government planned to use stoppage of salary to punish varsity lecturers for being concerned with the parlous state of affairs in the nations’ tertiary institutions, but it has failed as members have resolved to ensure that government becomes responsive and responsible.
He said the union is ready to discuss outstanding issues on the implementation of the February 2019 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed between FG and ASUU as well as other conditions of service with government, but the government was not forthcoming and had resorted to propaganda against the union.
Akinwole, however, said the University Transparency and Accountability Solutions (UTAS) developed by ASUU to replace the government’s Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS), which he said has been orchestrated to destroy global academic culture, is fully ready.
Lamenting the alleged government’s insincerity of purpose, the UI ASUU chairman denied the claim that the union would call off its strike as claimed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.
He said however that, while the lecturers are ready to work, they would not go back to work unless government fully attends to all their demands and immediate implementation.
“As of today October 4, 2020, ASUU members are being owed three months salaries. In some Universities like MOAU and UNIMAID our members have not receive salary for up to six months.
“The Federal Government through the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation have criminally withheld five months (February-June, 2020) Check-Off deducted from our members salaries without remittance to the Union.
“FG has forcefully enlisted our members on the National Housing Fund (NHF) scheme and has consistently been illegally deducting money for this from our members salaries.
“Our ongoing total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action would continue if this propaganda and lies against ASUU by appointees and representatives of the Federal Government like the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige persists,” Akinwole added.
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