The Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has
lamented the effect of the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of
Universities on students and tertiary education in the country.
ASUU on February 14 began the strike due to what it
described as “failure” on the part of the government to meet its demands.
The demands include the payment of earned allowances,
payment of revitalisation funds to universities, creation of visitation panels
and implementation of the University Transparency Accountability Solution
instead of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System for the
payment of workers in the ivory towers.
The government set up a committee headed by Prof Nimi Briggs to look into the demands of the union and review the 2009 ASUU-FG agreement.
ASUU leaders, who walked out of a meeting with the
government on August 16, alleged that no offer was made to them.
On August 30, 2023, that ASUU declared a
total and indefinite strike. The decision was taken at a meeting of the union’s
National Executive Council held on Sunday in Abuja.
Reacting to the ongoing strike in a tweet on his Twitter
handle on Wednesday, the LP presidential candidate said universities have been
closed for six months.
He lamented what he described as a ‘staggering corruption’
level in Nigeria, adding that the country has also been polarised along
religious and ethnic lines.
He wrote, “Nigeria is vastly polarized and wracked by deep
divisions along religious, ethnic and regional lines. There is a staggering
level of corruption. Our universities have remained closed for six months.
“While our healthcare system remains almost moribund, power
generation and distribution are also at an all-time low.
“Our position is that ASUU strike has lingered for far too
long. It is unconscionable, worrisome and unacceptable that FGN would allow
such an industrial action to become almost intractable to the detriment of our
students.
“It’s time for FGN to engage in collaborative negotiations
with ASUU, and in good faith. -PO”
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