Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU on Tuesday, began a protest over the 'no work, no pay' policy adopted by the Nigerian government as regards paying their salaries after their 8- monthly strike.
The union declared Tuesdays as lecture-free days.
The University of Lagos chapter of ASUU members on Tuesday boycotted lectures and marched from the Julius Berger Auditorium to the main gate of the institution, locking down the entire campus.
They condemned what they see as an attempt by the government to reduce Nigerian scholars to casual workers, stressing that any attempt at doing that will not augur well for the country's university system.
The ASUU Chairman, of the UNILAG chapter, said their protest is to prevent an academic crisis.
“What the government did is against the national labor law and we are trying to avert the resumption of another ASUU strike.
"The action of the union by suspending the strike was a display of manifest trust in the judiciary and other institutions and organs of government to always put national interest above all other considerations. This we believe as a union of thinkers, intellectuals, and patriots.
“Sadly, the treatment meted out to ASUU by the government has demonstrated they cannot be trusted. As the union has been using every means to negotiate with the government rather they keep deploying weapons to frustrate us and keep us in abject poverty.
“The government has starved us, they have breached the agreement entered since 2009, the Nimi Briggs committee recommendation which is UNESCO standard. What the union has requested is the welfare of the lecturers, funding of education, and IPPS, ” he said.
Chairman of ASUU, University of Ibadan chapter, Prof. Ayoola Akinwole, also stated that they are asking the FG to meet ASUU's demands by first paying in full their October salaries, their 8-month salary arrears, adopting the UTAS payment system, increasing the net salary of academic workers, and providing adequate funding of tertiary institutions.
“If the government cares and is committed to advancing the education sector, it would instantly meet the demands of workers,” Professor Akinwole stated.
According to Comrade Abiodun Aremu of Joint Action Fund, a civil society group, that joined the protest, the government plans to commercialize education - a move that will make education very expensive for the ordinary people of the country.
“The federal government always gives excuses on why they cannot fund education. But the same administration has spent billions of naira on other issues and allowances for many politicians.
“We completely disagree with the president on funding of tertiary education. The attempt to commercialize education is one of the reasons why the government is fighting against ASUU. If we allow the complete commercialization of education, it will affect the children of ordinary people as many working-class children will drop out of school.
Aremu called on workers' unions to join forces against repression. “We need to create a common front for all those who suffer under the current system. We need to build a mass workers' political alternative because as things stand, the ruling class will continue to exploit and repress any resistance.
"If the government is allowed to get away with this attack on ASUU, this will affect all other workers in every sector of the economy. What we need now more than ever is the unity of the working class against the anti-poor policies and attacks,” Aremu said.
After the Federal Government paid the lecturers half salaries for October, the National Working Council, NEC, of ASUU directed each chapter to pick a day to hold a protest rally against the half pay and the non-payment of their eight months' salaries.
Education
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