Contrary to some recent media reports, the Federal government has not adopted a take-it-or-leave-it approach in its negotiations with ASUU. Rather, the approach is focused on positive engagement and achieving sustainable solutions to the challenges facing higher education in the country. That is why President Goodluck Jonathan recently appealed to ASUU to respond to government's positive steps by calling off its strike in the interest of suffering students and parents.
These messages are directed at using falsehood to demonize the Minister as callous and unsympathetic to the plight of students and parents. The major lie being peddled in the pamphlets and flyers is that Dr Okonjo-Iweala has insisted on a "take-it-or-leave-it approach" in the negotiations with ASUU. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala is the daughter of two retired professors and her father is presently a member of ASUU's Board of Trustees and has been one for a long time. She speaks with her father everyday on the issue so how can be insensitive to issues concerning the sad state of tertiary education in the country? She understands and sympathizes with the plight of both students and lecturers. She wants our children back in school as soon as possible. Remember she is a mother and two of her young relatives are sitting at home due to the strike.
This is why government is working hard, under the leadership of the President, to seek practical and sustainable solutions to the challenges facing higher education in Nigeria. The President has made available N100 billion a year in the first instance to repair hostels, laboratories and classrooms and other facilities. An offer has also been made to ASUU of N30 billion towards their earned allowances. In fact, negotiations have even gone further than this. This is the first time, in years of negotiating with government, that significant sums of money have been put on the table for ASUU and universities on this particular set of issues. The Coordinating Minister is fully part of this.Against this background, ASUU elements who want the strike to continue should have a heart and rethink their current take-it-or-leave-it approach to negotiation. Government has demonstrated its commitment to improving the university system. And it is even ready to do much more going forward. ASUU should listen to the voice of reason and the yearnings of Nigerians on this issue.
Paul C Nwabuikwu
Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister and Minister of Finance
but the question still remain why can't government honor its agreement with asuu?
ReplyDeleteMr. Pual, were you at the meeting to know what was and was not said? Stop deceiving the good people of Nigeria. I know the statement was put up to buy favour from the cordinating Minister as usuall.
ReplyDeleteFed govt should sack all those bad eggs, ASUU is been used by frustrated politicians.pls stop their salari and adopt no work no pay policy. Remember ilori 49 ! Wen Obj sack all de strikin lecturers , some of them even die of hunger .. Stop their pay is the answer to this strike......Kupapa
ReplyDeleteASUU strike at the moment is a necessary action but I think it is now obvious that there are politcal gimmicks behind it cos of It's longevity. A good example is that of the Doctor's
ReplyDeleteWhat if tanker drivers decide to go on strike cos of bad roads or police should embark too cos of meagre salaries etc.
Jonathan, keep doing your best and God will surely see you through in Jesus name, Amen.
All those ministers and other top government functionaries should bring their children back to the Nigeria Universities and not sending them abroad to study.
ReplyDeleteSome irresponsible elements in Asuu are capitalising on the situation to play politics all in a bid to frustrate GEJ.The rot in the higher institutions did not just begin with this present administration and so,it is unreasonable to blame it all on this administration. Asuu is about over stepping its sympathy.Enough of this fool headiness.
ReplyDeleteIs this not a take N100 billion a year and N30 billion earned allowanaces oe leave it ultimatum? This does not sound like negotiation as a negotiated statement sound like, "we agreed with ASUU that govt will make N100b available etc."
ReplyDeleteMy brother u talk well. Pple allow themselves to b decieved. Asuu are not helping the situation and are trying their best to paint the fed govt bad. Am not say d fed govt don't have their flaws but if we are to look at dis critically, we will realise that asuu bears most of the fault. The fed govt is trying to resolve d issue but asuu are not showing any effort to resolve it too. We should expect more from asuu since they are closer to the students than d fed govt. If they feel they don't want the students to suffer den they should take wat d fed govt has offered, call off d strike den if next year d fed govt didn't carry out their side of d bargain, den they go for another strike.not keeping students till all their demands are met. Wen two elephants are fighting its d grass dat suffers
ReplyDeleteASUU is not used by any politicians and stop pedling stories to give the laudable strike action a demonic stance. The problem with ASUU is that they see themselves as more qualified to enjoy the resources of the nation or atleast partake in its looting but have been consistently pushed aside by previous administrations. In this administration, embezzlements of public funds has never been very visible and ASUU thought this is the right time to really make their feat known; hence the strike.
ReplyDeletePlease the major thing is that, why cant FG agree to the request of ASUU and follow it up with a monitoring team to ensure that every allocated money is been utilized appropriately for the aim and purpose for which ASUU is demanding ? in essence ASUU and FG are both trying to upgrade the standard of the Nigerian universities which has been downsides over the years in every manner academically, infra-structurally, corruptions, etc. but the problem amongst these two bodies now is the fear of fund been released and not used for the supposed purpose effectively on the side of the FG, while on the side of ASUU, the fear is that the corrupt practices in our national projects will still be in play if the FG should handle most cases as they are insisting on.. so,i suggest a dialogue between the both bodies in which the FG will release the estimated fund to ASUU and setup a genuine checkmating team to help monitor the expenditures. by the this means there will be change and betterment in nigerian higher schooling and also a long lasting peace will be re-in-stored between the FG and The Nigerian Universities
ReplyDeleteThis woman came with a big reputation from the World Bank but so far her second coming has been a real let-down. Stealing of public fund and corruption involving disappearing public money has increased in her watch.
ReplyDeleteWith her experience from the World Bank she should by now have been able to put in checks and balances in her management of public money which would have prevented the likes of our Minister of Aviation Miss Oduah from stealing to fund her luxury lifestyle. She should have by now have been able to form a Audit Commission to regularly investigate how the States and Local Government are using their monthly fund allocation from the Central government.
Without the checks and balances in place some State Governors are using the allocation as their own private funds and even buying Private jets with the money that should be used to fund education, medical care, road repairs and public welfare.
Please wake Finance Minister and kick some asses!
ASUU are selfish in their demand. How many of them are really committed to their job. Some exort money from students through hand
ReplyDeleteouts while some go as far as taking advantage of opposite sex. How many of them are really doing research. They duplicate text books and dictate for students to copy. If you ask for clarification of something, they will tell you to go and research. Examination questions year after year are the same occuring like a recurring decimal.
I am of the opinion that Government should set up a Tertiary Academic Staff Competency Examination Council (TASCEC) to periodically examine their competence.