Accede To ASUU’s Demands, Lawyer, Students Tell FG

A Lagos lawyer, Mr Bamidele Aturu, on Friday appealed to the Federal Government to accede to demands of the striking university lecturers.

Aturu, a Human Rights Activist, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on June 30 embarked on what it described as “as comprehensive, total and indefinite strike, in public universities across the country’’.

The union was protesting the non-implementation of ?the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement.

According to Aturu, it is important for the parties to understand that agreements are sacrosanct and must be respected, given all the conditions.

He noted that the protracted industrial action by the lecturers was not portraying the country’s image in good light, and appealed for an urgent resolution of the issues.

The human rights lawyer noted that the situation was more worrisome in the face of the high rate of unemployment in the country, especially among the youth.

“We are aware that education in any nation is one possible way of ensuring national development, empowerment and poverty eradication.

“It, therefore, behooves, on us to do all we can as a people to ensure that it is given topmost priority in the scheme of things.

” I feel government and ASUU should go back to the negotiation table and find ways of reaching common grounds.

“Because, whatever positive things that comes out from such negotiation will surely be for the advancement of this country.

“We must not allow people, who do not want the progress of this country to hijack this struggle midway, in the interest of our children,” Aturu said.

Meanwhile, some post graduate students of the University of Lagos, Akoka, have called on the Federal Government to accede to the demands of the lecturers, but this time install checks and balances.

One of the students, identified simply as, Mrs Uche, pleaded with government to implement the agreement but should set up a taskforce to monitor the judicious use of the funds.

She told newsmen that such a measure would ensure accountability that would not allow the funds to be diverted into private purses.

“In all sincerity of purpose, I feel government is doing all within its resources to ensure proper funding of these institutions, but I think the greatest stumbling block has been that of corruption.

“If the use of these funds is not properly monitored, they are usually channeled into personal use. Some of these lecturers who are even agitating do not even do their work as and when due.

“They make life unbearable for students by failing to deliver their lecturers when they should and only to come in a few days to the examination to set questions on topics that have not even treated.

“Such lecturers should be fished out and sanctioned because you do not expect to reap where you did not sow,” she said.

Mr Johnson Brown, another Post graduate student of the Lagos State University, pleaded with government to consider the plight of the students and proffer lasting solutions to the issue.

“I want to plead with government to urgently save our future and the plight of our parents by acceding to the demands of the lecturers so that we can go back to school.

“This whole suffering is on us and our parents, coupled with the harsh economic situation; the situation is taking a toll on us psychologically,” he said.