Fred Ezeh, Abuja and Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Barring any last minute change in plans, representatives of the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) would meet in Abuja, today, to continue negotiations with the hope of achieving a consensus on lingering issues that could herald the reopening of universities nationwide.
ASUU leadership had listed five major issues that led to the withdrawal of their services few months ago, but at present, the major concern is the adoption of University Transparency Account System (UTAS) for personnel management of members finances.
ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, told Daily Sun, yesterday, that the meeting was in continuation of series of consultations between the lecturers and Federal Government on labour disputes.
“All parties involved have agreed to return to the dialogue table on Wednesday (today) to continue discussions and the search for durable labour peace in the university system. That’s the much I can say for now,” he said.
He, however, declined to comment on whether the decision to suspend the strike would be taken at the meeting, saying “just wait till the end of the meeting .That is only when I can confidently and authoritatively say something in that regard.”
A source privy to the meeting, however, said “major decisions would be taken at the meeting which might rekindle the hope of students in public universities returning to schools this year for continuation of academic programmes.”
Meanwhile, ASUU has called on parents, members of the public and relevant stakeholders in the country, to join the union in its resolve to save public universities from collapse.
Coordinator of the Lagos Zone of ASUU, Prof. Olusiji Sowande, stated this at a press conference, yesterday, after the meeting at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.
The meeting was attended by the Chairman, ASUU-OOU, Dr. Joel Okewale, Chairman, ASUU-FUNAAB, Dr Adebayo Oni and Chairman, ASUU-UNILAG, Dr Dele Ashiru, among others.
Sowande expressed the surprise that parents of students in public universities who should ordinarily take sides with ASUU had been misinformed and misled by the Federal Government into believing ASUU’s demands were selfish.
“The ongoing strike is about the only obvious way to rescue and preserve the soul of public university education from the stranglehold of Nigeria’s kleptocrats. Government does not see the education of its citizens as public good, but rather unfortunately as a business.
“While government is committed to using public funds to bail out banks, electricity distribution companies, and airline operators, which are private investments, the excuse of unavailability of funds for revitalisation of our public universities is not acceptable to our union.
“Parents and students should not be persuaded that ASUU is asking for too much money for the survival of public universities. Parents should please note that, if our struggle fails, they will pay through their noses to send their children to universities, that is, if most of the students will not drop out of school,” he said.
He berated the Federal Government for resulting to blackmail, intimidation and propagation of falsehood to the public, instead of making sincere efforts at resolving the lingering crisis.
Sowande declared that members of the union have vowed not to succumb to Federal Government’s pressure to call off its strike.
He described the claim by Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, that 57,000 out of 71,700 lecturers are already on IPPIS as “highest level of falsehood from an office that should be respected for propagation of truth.”
He said the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) by the Federal government violated the autonomy of universities and was targeted at crippling university education in Nigeria.
“IPPIS violates the autonomy of universities because the power to control the finances and other resources will now be vested on the Account-General of the Federation and the Head of Service of the Federation.
“IPPIS is also aimed at subjecting the appointment of Vice-Chancellors and lecturers of federal-owned universities to the approval of the Head of Service of the Federation and this is in contrary to the universities autonomy act,” he added.
