By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Ibadan Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Friday called on the Federal Government to adhere strictly to the TETFund establishment Acts and ensure proper funding of public universities.
This is as the union raised an alarm on what it described as the precarious state of public universities in the country, urging the government to take urgent action to prevent a looming disaster.
Speaking at a press conference in Ibadan, the ASUU’s Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Oyebamiji Oyegoke, warned that if the demands of union are not met, the country’s education system could face a devastating setback.
The Ibadan Zone of ASUU expressed serious concerns over the ongoing hardships faced by its members across several public universities, including Kogi State University, Ebonyi State University, Lagos State University, and the Ambrose Alli University.
Prof. Oyegoke raised specific instances of unjust sackings, withholding of salaries, and victimisation of members, calling for immediate reversal and adequate compensation for those affected.
The union further stated its resolve to weather the storm until their demands are met, emphasising their unwavering commitment to standing against tyranny and injustice.
The union, however, appealed to well-meaning Nigerians, opinion leaders, traditional and religious leaders, media, labour movements, students groups and civil society organisations to join hands in putting pressure on the federal and state governments to address the union’s demands, which are aimed at rescuing the education sector from further decline.
Prof. Oyegoke stressed that ASUU remains resolute in its stance against the victimisation of its members and urged all stakeholders to take heed of the popular saying: “a stitch in time saves nine,” meaning that quick action taken now will prevent more significant problems from arising in the future.
He said “For several years, our Union has called out the government of Nigeria for non-performance, lackadaisical attitude, and an insensitive posture on matters pertaining to adequate funding of education.
“The direct evidence of this non-performance is the inability of the Nigerian government to meet the benchmark of 26 percent educational budget for underdeveloped countries like Nigeria, specified by UNESCO which has been advocated by our Union. In the last ten years average budgetary allocation by successive Nigerian governments to education has hovered between five and eight percent.
“Instead of improving, the Federal Government recently further decided to reduce the resources available for educational sector by diverting the funds to programmes with no direct benefits to Nigerian public universities.
“ASUU Ibadan Zone hereby enjoins the Federal Government to adhere strictly to TETFund establishment Acts and ensure proper funding of public universities.
“For the avoidance of doubt, nowhere in the FGN/ASUU Agreement of 2009 is it stated that Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) will be paid through Internally Generated Revenues (IGRs) of individual universities. On the contrary, the agreement explicitly provides that Government shall fund EAA.
“This explains why the FGN mandated the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) of the 2009 Agreement to determine the cost implication of the allowances and to supervise the implementation of all the agreements entered into with all the university-based staff unions.
“The IMC came up with a total cost of N92bn, which was meant to pay the arrears of earned allowances for all the staff unions ASUU, SSANU, NASU and NAAT in all federal universities, for three and a half years.
“We have decided to weather the storm until the needful is done. ASUU is proud to be the last union standing against tyranny and impunity of power in Nigeria as we are beyond intimidation, being cajoled or bought over.”
“For the umpteenth time, our Union is calling on well-meaning Nigerians, opinion leaders, traditional and religious leaders, media, labour movements, students groups and civil society organisations to prevail on federal and state governments to see through our patriotic demands aimed at rescuing the education sector from the abyss into which anti-educational forces want to plunge it,” Prof Oyegoke stated.
The press conference held at the Ibadan Zone of ASUU, comprising the University of Ibadan, Ibadan; University of Ilorin, Ilorin; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso; Osun State University, Osogbo; Kwara State University, Malete; and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, was attended by a group of ASUU Ibadan Zone leaders, including Prof. Ayoola Akinwole of ASUU-UI; Dr. Alex Akanmu of ASUU-UNILORIN; Prof. Babatunde Lawal of ASUU-LAUTECH; Dr. Wende Olaosebikan of ASUU-UNIOSUN; Dr. Shehu Salau of ASUU-KWASU and Dr. Bamidele Ojo of ASUU-EAUED.
