After giving the federal government of Nigeria 14-month strike notice (December 2020 – February 14, 2021), the Academic Staff Union of Universities asked her members to stop teaching to force government to be responsible in the funding of public universities and sign a renegotiated agreement with the Union. This was after the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) government had failed to meet set timelines in the Memoradum of Action (MOA) his government signed with the Union on December 22, 2020. After the government failed to meet the timelines, ASUU, through his immediate past president, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi wrote the Chief of Staff to President Buhari on March, 3, 2021 to complain how the office of Accountant General of the Federation had been frustrating the Union and her members even after submitting the demanded documents. The Union warned that not meeting the MOA agreements may stoke tension and threaten industrial harmony. The government kept playing the Union and this forced the Union to declare total and indefinite strike on August 29, 2022 after six-month strike roll-over.

How did we get here and do Nigerians care where and how their children are taught? After the Goodluck Jonathan administration conducted the 2012 Needs Assessment which showed the rot in Nigeria’s public universities, federal government resolved to provide funds for the revitalization of the University system for six years totaling N1.3trillion. The amount was arrived at by government team which carried out the exercise and not ASUU as government would want the public to believe. It was designed to be paid for six years as follows: 2013 (200billion), 2014 (220billion), 2015 (220billion), 2016 (220billion), 2017 (220billion), 2018 (220billion). After the strike, the Jonathan administration released the first tranche of 200billion in 2013. Politics consumed 2014 and Universities got no revitalization funds. Entered Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and for seven years, the administration has only released N50billion out of 220billion meant for 2014 tranche! The Union had agreed with PMB that since the government claimed it cannot release 220billion once, it should pay 55billion quarterly and end it in a year but this government failed again! The N50 billion that was paid was not even released once and it took strike threats for them to pay. The Buhari government is now saying the balance of 170billion will be in 2023 budget and implemented around May 2023.

ASUU gave government ample time to act but power intoxication would not let those in the corridors of power salvage the country’s education system. The government which owes lecturers over eight years verified arrears of earned academic allowances is now saying the amount will be put in 2023 budget and will be paid in 2023. On this item alone, this government and the current National Assembly appealed to the Union and promised to put the earned academic allowances in the 2022 budget. They failed to do so

With regard to the renegotiated agreements, government left democracy and came to the table with autocracy and expected the Union of intellectuals to be bullied into jettisoning collective bargaining. Government awarded salaries that will make a professor who has spent 10 years and above have additional N60,000 to the current miserable salary of a Nigerian professor (N416,000) which is not up to $1000. In 2009 when the agreement being renegotiated was signed, the value of what a professor earned was around $3000. The 2009 agreement detailed how ASUU sacrificed a better African average salary for a lower salary scale (Table II) based on the plea by government that the economy cannot support that competitive salary. The report says that “the Re-negotiation Committee noted that Nigerian University Academics represent the critical mass of scholars in the society, with the potential for transforming it. They, therefore, deserve unique condition of service that would motivate them, like the intellectuals in other parts of the world, to attain greater efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery with regard to teaching, research and community service, and thereby stem the brain drain. In line with this philosophy, the Re-negotiation Committee obtained information relating to the movement of Nigerian Academics to other African countries such as South Africa, Ghana, Botswana as well as developed countries. The figure in Table 1 relevant African average that is, the average remuneration of Academics in selected African countries with which Nigeria potential or effectively competes for the recruitment of Academic Staff.” It was said that future negotiations of salaries would begin from Table 1, which government said the economy cannot pay then. But now, government is saying no to negotiations. You either take N60,000 or forget it. Even as bad as this autocratic imposition is, its implementation too will be next year after elections. Peace eludes a nation that elevates injustice as norm, it deprives them of development and breeds violence and corruption as a way of life.

With regard to the renegotiated agreements, government left democracy and came to the table with autocracy and expected the Union of intellectuals to be bullied into jettisoning collective bargaining. Government awarded salaries that will make a professor who has spent 10 years and above have additional N60,000 to the current miserable salary of a Nigerian professor (N416,000) which is not up to $1000. In 2009 when the agreement being renegotiated was signed, the value of what a professor earned was around $3000. The 2009 agreement detailed how ASUU sacrificed a better African average salary for a lower salary scale (Table II) based on the plea by government that the economy cannot support that competitive salary. The report says that “the Re-negotiation Committee noted that Nigerian University Academics represent the critical mass of scholars in the society, with the potential for transforming it. They, therefore, deserve unique condition of service that would motivate them, like the intellectuals in other parts of the world, to attain greater efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery with regard to teaching, research and community service, and thereby stem the brain drain. In line with this philosophy, the Re-negotiation Committee obtained information relating to the movement of Nigerian Academics to other African countries such as South Africa, Ghana, Botswana as well as developed countries. The figure in Table 1 relevant African average that is, the average remuneration of Academics in selected African countries with which Nigeria potential or effectively competes for the recruitment of Academic Staff.” It was said that future negotiations of salaries would begin from Table 1, which government said the economy cannot pay then. But now, government is saying no to negotiations. You either take N60,000 or forget it. Even as bad as this autocratic imposition is, its implementation too will be next year after elections. Peace eludes a nation that elevates injustice as norm, it deprives them of development and breeds violence and corruption as a way of life.

I think Nigerians are happy that lecturers in polytechnic and colleges of education earn more than public university lecturers in Nigeria. Despite being poorly remunerated, public university lecturers teach more because not less than 80 percent of those writing JAMB yearly prefer university education. Universities (and not polytechnic and colleges of education) are rated and ranked globally. Nigerians who think ASUU is fighting a wrong cause should no longer complain that Nigerian universities rank poorly globally. They should not blame the quality of graduates being churned out because they do not think there is need for revitalization of public universities. They are only interested in their wards passing through universities without the universe in the university passing through them. They should not think students trained in zoo-like conditions will behave like normal humans when they graduate. In fact, when such becomes political office holders, they will see no reason to invest in public education and the consequences will be further erosion of the universe in our universities using the world of renowned poet, Professor Niyi Osundare. Our best will leave as they have been doing and we will infest the ivory towers will politicians!

Professor Niyi Osundare’s valedictory lecture entitled “The Universe in the University: A Scholar-poet’s Look from Inside Out” provides response to those asking for commodification of public universities. According to him, “A University cannot be run like a money-spinning business or corporation and be expected to still retain the soul and sense of Academe. Harassed by budget cuts by a Nigerian government that pays little more than a lip service to education, our university is being forced to look for funds in every which way. While it must be admitted that some departments are in a better position to generate outside funds than others, any attempt to commodify education and commercialize the disciplines can only lead to further undermining of the universe in our university. Time, we realize that a university can never be run as a cost-effective corporation. There are simply certain forms of knowledge that cannot be judged on their market value. (Niyi Osundare, July 26, 2005)”.

I have taken time to provide insight into the ‘futuristic awards’ of the Muhammadu Buhari government in relation to ASUU demands and from this, it is apparent that this government has met nothing. The government salvaged Airlines with millions of dollars without saying it will be put in 2023 budget. Education is our future. We cannot afford further decay beyond what it is. We cannot joke with the welfare of our lecturers. We wont advance if we keep electing ‘Londoners’ who don’t believe in the country but poised to milk it. I will end this piece with the words of then opposition spokesman and now Minister of Information, Lai Muhammed whose speeches then have now become ‘talk is cheap’. In 2013 (Daily Post, August 21, 2013), Lai Muhammed as the National Publicity Secretary of APC said while reacting to ASUU strike: “What we are saying is that if the federal government would reduce its profligacy and cut waste, there will be enough money to pay teachers in public universities, as well as fund research and upgrade infrastructure in such institutions. Hungry teachers can neither teach well nor carry out research. And poorly-taught students can neither excel nor propel their nation to great heights.” Now in government, has this government reduced waste and cut profligacy? Has this government upgraded infrastructure and funded cutting edge researches? Is the government not asking lecturers to receive poverty wage and return to teach? Can poorly taught students excel and propel Nigeria development as being championed by this government? Ladies and gentlemen, let us support government to fight ASUU.

Dr Tade, a sociologist

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/09/10/let-us-support-government-to-fight-ASUU/amp/

No!

No.

edogu:
After giving the federal government of Nigeria 14-month strike notice (December 2020 – February 14, 2021), the Academic Staff Union of Universities asked her members to stop teaching to force government to be responsible in the funding of public universities and sign a renegotiated agreement with the Union. This was after the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) government had failed to meet set timelines in the Memoradum of Action (MOA) his government signed with the Union on December 22, 2020. After the government failed to meet the timelines, ASUU, through his immediate past president, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi wrote the Chief of Staff to President Buhari on March, 3, 2021 to complain how the office of Accountant General of the Federation had been frustrating the Union and her members even after submitting the demanded documents. The Union warned that not meeting the MOA agreements may stoke tension and threaten industrial harmony. The government kept playing the Union and this forced the Union to declare total and indefinite strike on August 29, 2022 after six-month strike roll-over.

How did we get here and do Nigerians care where and how their children are taught? After the Goodluck Jonathan administration conducted the 2012 Needs Assessment which showed the rot in Nigeria’s public universities, federal government resolved to provide funds for the revitalization of the University system for six years totaling N1.3trillion. The amount was arrived at by government team which carried out the exercise and not ASUU as government would want the public to believe. It was designed to be paid for six years as follows: 2013 (200billion), 2014 (220billion), 2015 (220billion), 2016 (220billion), 2017 (220billion), 2018 (220billion). After the strike, the Jonathan administration released the first tranche of 200billion in 2013. Politics consumed 2014 and Universities got no revitalization funds. Entered Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and for seven years, the administration has only released N50billion out of 220billion meant for 2014 tranche! The Union had agreed with PMB that since the government claimed it cannot release 220billion once, it should pay 55billion quarterly and end it in a year but this government failed again! The N50 billion that was paid was not even released once and it took strike threats for them to pay. The Buhari government is now saying the balance of 170billion will be in 2023 budget and implemented around May 2023.

ASUU gave government ample time to act but power intoxication would not let those in the corridors of power salvage the country’s education system. The government which owes lecturers over eight years verified arrears of earned academic allowances is now saying the amount will be put in 2023 budget and will be paid in 2023. On this item alone, this government and the current National Assembly appealed to the Union and promised to put the earned academic allowances in the 2022 budget. They failed to do so

With regard to the renegotiated agreements, government left democracy and came to the table with autocracy and expected the Union of intellectuals to be bullied into jettisoning collective bargaining. Government awarded salaries that will make a professor who has spent 10 years and above have additional N60,000 to the current miserable salary of a Nigerian professor (N416,000) which is not up to $1000. In 2009 when the agreement being renegotiated was signed, the value of what a professor earned was around $3000. The 2009 agreement detailed how ASUU sacrificed a better African average salary for a lower salary scale (Table II) based on the plea by government that the economy cannot support that competitive salary. The report says that “the Re-negotiation Committee noted that Nigerian University Academics represent the critical mass of scholars in the society, with the potential for transforming it. They, therefore, deserve unique condition of service that would motivate them, like the intellectuals in other parts of the world, to attain greater efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery with regard to teaching, research and community service, and thereby stem the brain drain. In line with this philosophy, the Re-negotiation Committee obtained information relating to the movement of Nigerian Academics to other African countries such as South Africa, Ghana, Botswana as well as developed countries. The figure in Table 1 relevant African average that is, the average remuneration of Academics in selected African countries with which Nigeria potential or effectively competes for the recruitment of Academic Staff.” It was said that future negotiations of salaries would begin from Table 1, which government said the economy cannot pay then. But now, government is saying no to negotiations. You either take N60,000 or forget it. Even as bad as this autocratic imposition is, its implementation too will be next year after elections. Peace eludes a nation that elevates injustice as norm, it deprives them of development and breeds violence and corruption as a way of life.

With regard to the renegotiated agreements, government left democracy and came to the table with autocracy and expected the Union of intellectuals to be bullied into jettisoning collective bargaining. Government awarded salaries that will make a professor who has spent 10 years and above have additional N60,000 to the current miserable salary of a Nigerian professor (N416,000) which is not up to $1000. In 2009 when the agreement being renegotiated was signed, the value of what a professor earned was around $3000. The 2009 agreement detailed how ASUU sacrificed a better African average salary for a lower salary scale (Table II) based on the plea by government that the economy cannot support that competitive salary. The report says that “the Re-negotiation Committee noted that Nigerian University Academics represent the critical mass of scholars in the society, with the potential for transforming it. They, therefore, deserve unique condition of service that would motivate them, like the intellectuals in other parts of the world, to attain greater efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery with regard to teaching, research and community service, and thereby stem the brain drain. In line with this philosophy, the Re-negotiation Committee obtained information relating to the movement of Nigerian Academics to other African countries such as South Africa, Ghana, Botswana as well as developed countries. The figure in Table 1 relevant African average that is, the average remuneration of Academics in selected African countries with which Nigeria potential or effectively competes for the recruitment of Academic Staff.” It was said that future negotiations of salaries would begin from Table 1, which government said the economy cannot pay then. But now, government is saying no to negotiations. You either take N60,000 or forget it. Even as bad as this autocratic imposition is, its implementation too will be next year after elections. Peace eludes a nation that elevates injustice as norm, it deprives them of development and breeds violence and corruption as a way of life.

I think Nigerians are happy that lecturers in polytechnic and colleges of education earn more than public university lecturers in Nigeria. Despite being poorly remunerated, public university lecturers teach more because not less than 80 percent of those writing JAMB yearly prefer university education. Universities (and not polytechnic and colleges of education) are rated and ranked globally. Nigerians who think ASUU is fighting a wrong cause should no longer complain that Nigerian universities rank poorly globally. They should not blame the quality of graduates being churned out because they do not think there is need for revitalization of public universities. They are only interested in their wards passing through universities without the universe in the university passing through them. They should not think students trained in zoo-like conditions will behave like normal humans when they graduate. In fact, when such becomes political office holders, they will see no reason to invest in public education and the consequences will be further erosion of the universe in our universities using the world of renowned poet, Professor Niyi Osundare. Our best will leave as they have been doing and we will infest the ivory towers will politicians!

Professor Niyi Osundare’s valedictory lecture entitled “The Universe in the University: A Scholar-poet’s Look from Inside Out” provides response to those asking for commodification of public universities. According to him, “A University cannot be run like a money-spinning business or corporation and be expected to still retain the soul and sense of Academe. Harassed by budget cuts by a Nigerian government that pays little more than a lip service to education, our university is being forced to look for funds in every which way. While it must be admitted that some departments are in a better position to generate outside funds than others, any attempt to commodify education and commercialize the disciplines can only lead to further undermining of the universe in our university. Time, we realize that a university can never be run as a cost-effective corporation. There are simply certain forms of knowledge that cannot be judged on their market value. (Niyi Osundare, July 26, 2005)”.

I have taken time to provide insight into the ‘futuristic awards’ of the Muhammadu Buhari government in relation to ASUU demands and from this, it is apparent that this government has met nothing. The government salvaged Airlines with millions of dollars without saying it will be put in 2023 budget. Education is our future. We cannot afford further decay beyond what it is. We cannot joke with the welfare of our lecturers. We wont advance if we keep electing ‘Londoners’ who don’t believe in the country but poised to milk it. I will end this piece with the words of then opposition spokesman and now Minister of Information, Lai Muhammed whose speeches then have now become ‘talk is cheap’. In 2013 (Daily Post, August 21, 2013), Lai Muhammed as the National Publicity Secretary of APC said while reacting to ASUU strike: “What we are saying is that if the federal government would reduce its profligacy and cut waste, there will be enough money to pay teachers in public universities, as well as fund research and upgrade infrastructure in such institutions. Hungry teachers can neither teach well nor carry out research. And poorly-taught students can neither excel nor propel their nation to great heights.” Now in government, has this government reduced waste and cut profligacy? Has this government upgraded infrastructure and funded cutting edge researches? Is the government not asking lecturers to receive poverty wage and return to teach? Can poorly taught students excel and propel Nigeria development as being championed by this government? Ladies and gentlemen, let us support government to fight ASUU.

Dr Tade, a sociologist

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/09/10/let-us-support-government-to-fight-ASUU/amp/

Support government to fight ASUU ?

Nawa children plenty o.

Look government suppose dey beg ASUU

Ho

Bontafa:



Support government to fight ASUU ?

Nawa children plenty o.

Look government suppose dey beg ASUU

Honestly, l don't even know what to say. How did we come to this sorry state?

citizenY:
Ho


Honestly, l don't even know what to say. How did we come to this sorry state?

This matter is very long you won't understand.

Nigeria politicians joke with education.

Just let them play the blame game . ASUU is wiser now

Bontafa:



Support government to fight ASUU ?

Nawa children plenty o.

Look government suppose dey beg ASUU

Did you go through the post? It's a sarcasm. The topic is totally different from the content or should I say opposite of what's contained in the writeup.

In the content, the writer tried to give you reason why you should support ASUU.

“School feeding cost FG ₦228bn while education budget is ₦109bn. You'll know the intentions of thieves even from foolish allocations of public resources.”

Copied

Mynd44 OAM4J Lalasticlala

citizenY:
Ho


Honestly, l don't even know what to say. How did we come to this sorry state?

and some bastard sons of dogs want to vote Apc again just to spite igbos.

Useless party with useless government using mallet to cure headaches.

They arrested bureau the change to improve naira instead of improving the economy and export rate.
they're now trying to fight an academic body fighting for the welfare of poor students who can't afford the luxury of schooling abroad like their children.
this is the same government some so called educated bastards are supporting just to satisfy their hate for igbos and other tribes that are speaking up.
may God punish all Apc supporters and may they never experience good things of life especially peace of mind.

God bless igbos
God bless real Omoluabis
God bless Hausas

thunder scatter Tinubu urchins.

edogu:

Did you go through the post? It's a sarcasm. The topic is totally different from the content or should I say opposite of what's contained in the writeup.

In the content, the writer tried to give you reason why you should support ASUU.

I for say ooo
because that's what Apc is trying to do.

But these people should slow down on sarcasm on Nigerians especially when they know our reading habit

watch as people like omenka will now start attacking ASUU just to please Buhari.

Hahahahahaha

I'm kidding
omenka is actually supporting increment in salary for professors because if they're paid well ,they'll give their max which will improve our educational system.

Btw I love poking omenka
hahahahaha

You tricked some of us here
And we truly don’t support ASUU at this stage

You tricked some of us here
And we truly don’t support ASUU at this stage.

I quite agree with many points raised by op, but at onset, ASUU involved other things which they seemed to prioritze over the implementation of earlier agreements like the UTAS though I see they are tactically watering down on the push for it. Moreso, for the salary renegotiation, you can't base the essence of strike on salary renegotiation, never. You negotiate first, reach a concensus with the authority, and the union can now hold the govt to the jugular if they don't implement it. A union or committee can not force the govt to implement a new salary scheme. It has to be bargained and the govt will only agree on what is realistic in terms of implementation. If all civil servants start considering their salaries in dollar worth, then all workers will go on strike.
Moreso, the salary renegotiation will eventually cut across the enture associations/unions in civil service, so govt need be tactical when renegotiating salaries.
Finally, we all know the major setback in suspending the strike is the NO WORK NO PAY. Govt may be right as it is a law but I believe the union can talk it out with authorities behind the scene and not trying to blackmail them. I lost my sympathy for ASUU on this when their president said they are not like health workers who don't get to offset backlog of activities when they resume from strike. He is justifying NWNP for health workers and proscribing it for his union. Anywhere in the world, if u don't work, u don't get paid. We only have been having our ways around it in Nigeria.
Of course, we all know the govt is overtly irresponsible and not trustworthy.

APC is a scammer

Tell ASUU to charge FG to Industrial court for reneging on their agreement instead of punishing innocent students with their incessant strikes
For your information, the masses don't like this useless administration because every sector of the country is in a pathetic state
What do you expect the masses to do for ASUU when protests didn't move the demon from Daura
ASUU should better know that they have entered one chance this time around
I wish them all the best

Darkness cannot defeat darkness