From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that the protracted strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is unjust to the children of the poor who are idling away at home while those of the rich are in school.
The Congress also blamed the Federal Government for refusing to yield to ASUU demands which were all signed agreements between both parties, but instead, is more interested in politicking ahead of the 2023 general elections.
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba NLC who spoke during the opening at their Central Working Committee meeting preparatory to the May Day on Wednesday in Abuja
Said gross injustice is being meted out on ASUU and by extension the underprivileged children belonging to the lower class.
Addressing journalists before Central Working Committee went into a closed-door session, Wabba said, “we are facing a period of great injustice on the downtrodden of the society, children of the poor are at home but the children of the rich are going to school, we have written communication to the government but no response till date, rather they are busy discussing politics.
His words, “I think it’s very clear we have not had it rosy, we just got out of Covid-19 but we have more serious challenges centered around education.
“As you all know, the children of the poor are at home while those of the rich are going to school. To date, we have communicated through recommendations to the government but no response.
“This is most disheartening because people in our generation benefited from free education from primary to tertiary level. This is not acceptable, instead of the politicians discussing these issues as a national emergency they are occupied with the 2023 elections.
“We would be looking at the upcoming political dispensation. A lot of broken promises. No worker should sit down and just watch, certainly that will not be our portion. We must engage politicians, making sure the downtrodden are accommodated in the next political dispensation.”
ASUU and the Federal Government have locked horns in a supremacy battle over the fate of Nigerian universities, while the institutions have remained shut for over two months.
While the issues in contention revolve around revitalization funds for Nigerian universities and shoddy implementation of the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System (IPPIS) Wabba reminded the CWC members that unionists and workers all over the world have not had it rosy, especially with events that shaped the world, Covid-19, and the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Meanwhile the federal government has reportedly begun implementing the “no work no pay” policy against the university workers.
However the union has expressed its resolve to remain unshaken by what it termed a tool of “intimidation” until its demands are met.