An International Organisation, Dollar Club Exclusive, has raised the alarm over the lingering crisis between the Academic Staff Union of Universities, and the Federal Government which has stalled academic activities in Nigerian Universities.
The association added that the strike which has lasted for about seven months has made students to forget what they were taught since they have been at home doing nothing all these while.
The Chairman of Dollar Club Exclusive and former NMA President, Dr.Jerry Oguzie stated this on Thursday in Uyo, during a press conference in honour of the association’s grand commander, Late Justice Ime Umana.
Dr. Oguzie, however, called on the Federal Government to quickly address the issue so that students would go back to school.
According to him, “we are perturbed that ASUU has been on strike since the past six months. We are perturbed that our children are no longer in school. We are worried that our children are losing what they know. The FG should address the issue and stop playing politics with the lives of our children.
“It’s only in Nigeria that one will know when he enters the university without knowing when he will graduate. A course that is supposed to run for four or six years would run for six to ten years due to persistent strike actions. And it’s high time government addressed this issue once and for all.
“Then the question should be, how much is even needed to sort ASUU out? You can imagine how much that has been spent on frivolities in this country. We read recently how dollars stacked in one room, rotten, was discovered in one part of this country, so what are we talking about?
On why ASUU has refused to shift grounds and register with the IPPIS as directed by the FG, Dr. Oguzie said it is only ASUU that is in the position to know what is good for their members stressing that IPPIS would not save the country from the purported corruption.
He, however, decried the poor funding in the education sector, adding that health sector in the country suffers same fate.
“I am a medical doctor, and no one can speak better of health issue than health practitioners, same is with ASUU, no one can speak better of institutions than them.
ASUU knows what it wants and not for the federal government to tell them go left or go right, they know what they are asking for and Federal Government should listen to them.
”But think of it, has IPPIS saved us from the monumental corruption in the country? I expect the federal government to say, okay, give us one to five years or there about to pay, but for the FG to stick on the ground and say move before we move, is unacceptable. They should come to a negotiating table and resolve the issue, we are not happy as a group.” The Chairman noted.
