Groups protest against FG-ASUU impasse

Some civil society groups and students'
organisations, on Tuesday, staged a protest
march against the prolonged impasse
between the Federal Government and the
striking members of the Academic Staff
Union of Universities.
The placard-carrying protesters said the
Federal Government-ASUU disagreement
had paralysed academic work in the
universities.
The angry groups include the Concerned
Nigerian Students; Coalition of Edo Youths
Organisation; Edo Youth Congress; Edo State
Students; Comrade Across the Nation; South-
South Youth League; and Edo Youth for
Good Government.
They converged on the Nigeria Union of
Journalists' Press Centre, in Benin, berating
the Federal Government over what they
described as government's unwillingness to
address the rot in the nation's universities.
The protesters, who brandished placards
with inscriptions such as, "We are Nigerian
Undergraduates Unemployed," "Education is
a Right," and "Federal Government Answer
ASUU," among others, said the breakdown
in the FG/ASUU talk should be blamed on the
former.
Former ASUU chairman, University of Benin
chapter, Dr. Kashetu Ilavbare, said the
presence of some of the ASUU members in
the midst of the protesters was to guide
them, so that they would not take the laws
into their hands.
He said, "We don't have anything to do with
them; but we got information that they
were on the road, so we came to guide
them so that they will not destroy anything
and to make it peaceful. You can see they
are rational people.
"There is need for infrastructure both in the
schools and outside, so that is why we are
trying to ensure they don't go on the
rampage."
The protesters in a statement read by one
Omobude Agho, called on patriotic Nigerians
to support the action and to enlighten
parents and others on why they were
agitating.
The statement read in part, "Investigations
have shown that the issues at stake are far
and above the demand for higher wages.
ASUU has resumed its strike because the
Federal Government of Nigeria has failed to
honour the agreement that it entered into
with ASUU in 2009.
"This agreement provided for government
funding of quality higher education for
Nigerians. Provision of teaching and
learning facilities, lab equipment for science
students and research grants, payment of
earned allowances, retirement age and
progressive increase in annual budgetary
allocation to the educational sector of 26
per cent, which is the UN standard.
"ASUU has used all alternatives possible in
labour relations: lobbying, negotiations,
letters, warning strikes, begging, press
releases and conferences. However,
government has refused to honour the
agreement that it willingly signed with
ASUU."

source: punch