Lecturers Urge FG To Avert ASUU Strike

Some University teachers  last Wednesday urged the Federal Government to avert another strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

ASUU is threatening to embark on a nationwide strike over Federal government’s non-implementation of an agreement reached by both parties in 2009.

An ultimatum the union gave to the government expired on November 22.

The university teachers told newsmen in Lagos that President Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Education, Prof Ruqquayat Rufai, and other education stakerholders, should prevent the strike.

The educationalists said that another ASUU strike could cripple the education sector and the entire economy.

Mr. Adewale Yagboyaju, a lecturer in the Department of Politcal Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, told newsmen that the country did not need any more strikes in the education sector.

“A strike should not be allowed at this point, in this critical stage of the country.

“ASUU is being pushed to go on the strike because the Federal Government deliberately failed to implement the agreement.

“When the government knows that it would not meet up with the agreement, why did it enter into it in the first place?” he asked.

Dr. Maryam Quadri of the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos, also appealed to the government to avert the strike for the sake of students.

“I don’t pray for strike because of its effects”, she said.

Dr. Jide Oluwajuyitan, also a lecturer in the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos, advised the Federal Government not to wait until workers embarked on strike before giving attention to their demands.

“Government should not wait for unions to go on strike before calling for negotiations,” he urged.

On ASUU’s demand for extension of the retirement age of professors to 70 years, the dons said that the demand was genuine in view of the role of professors in education development.

According to Yagboyaju, many professors are still active and relevant to the academic community after retiring at the age of 65 years.

Also, Quadri told newsmen that many retired professors from public universities had been engaged by private universities because they were still useful and had much to offer.