The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the federal government of not fulfilling its commitments from past negotiations. The union expressed frustration over the government's inaction, despite having reached a tentative agreement in earlier discussions.
ASUU President Emmanuel Osodeke stated that while the union has met its obligations during the renegotiation process, the government has yet to take any concrete steps toward implementation. He noted that aside from establishing a negotiation team, no meaningful progress has been made.
“It has been about two months now, and the government’s team has not returned to us, let alone signed a new deal. The implication of this development is that the political class does not care about public universities,” Osodeke lamented. The union had previously warned of possible industrial action if the government failed to act. Reports indicate that despite these warnings, the government has made no substantial efforts to address ASUU’s concerns.
According to Osodeke, the current administration has been in office for over a year yet has failed to permanently resolve any of the longstanding issues raised by ASUU. He stressed that this lack of commitment continues to hinder progress in Nigeria’s public university system.
“No single issue has been permanently resolved by this government since it assumed office. We are still telling the same old story,” he said. He further criticized the disparity in the education system, stating that while the children of the wealthy study abroad and return to secure lucrative jobs, the children of the poor are left to struggle in a failing system.
ASUU has not ruled out the possibility of a strike if the government remains unresponsive. The union insists that immediate action is necessary to prevent further disruptions in Nigeria’s public universities.
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