The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over the failure of the federal government to honour its agreement it had with the union over condition of service, teaching and research environment, and others.
Industrial actions in Nigerian universities have, over the years, disrupted academic activities and prolonged students stay in the institutions.
In this report, some Nigerians call on the federal government to sign and implement the agreement it reached with the union to avert another disruption of the academic calendar in the tertiary institutions.
Profligate spending could be saved to meet ASUU demands – Luka Binniyat, spokesman, Middle Belt Forum (MBF); Kaduna
The federal government should be ashamed of itself. What is needed to cover the entire demands of ASUU is not up to the yearly cost of fruitless president’s trips, and the cost of entertainment of the president and his ministers. ASUU has exhausted their patience and I support their downing of tools.
States and federal governments are busy creating universities, which they don’t have interest to fund.
Profligate spending by government officials at the detriment of the educational future of our children should be condemned. ASUU should immediately declare a nationwide strike with all its states’ affiliates joining.
Civil Society and other human rights groups should join. Continued mass rallies should be held in every state capital, including Abuja. The Gen Z should take advantage of this and fight for their future.
FG should honour agreement with ASUU – Rev. Emmanuel Olorunmagba, cleric; Kaduna
ASUU strike has become a routine in Nigeria to the extent that there is no Nigerian that has passed through public university in Nigeria since this democracy that has not been delayed one way or another as a result of ASUU strike. And it has painted our educational system in Nigeria negatively that other countries don’t have high regards for our graduates like before. This is due to the obvious fact that the incessant strikes always disrupt academic activities, and most often, after such strike; especially the prolonged one, lectures become crash programmes as the school will rush students and conduct examinations in a bid to try to catch up with part of the time wasted. And the fact is that before ASUU embarks on any strike, the union always keeps on calling the attention of the federal government, yet the avoidable strike will still not be avoided. This is because the children of the political office holders in Nigeria are in foreign universities, they don’t really care for the educational system in Nigeria.
I join other Nigerians to call on the federal government to honour the agreement reached with the union to forestall this avoidable strike.
ASUU should tread softly – ND Ejeagba, public affairs analyst; Aba
The Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) may have genuine reasons to embark on their proposed strike, but they should tread softly. Their incessant strikes do not in any way promote the very education they claim they are trying to protect.
A few years back, they embarked on an avoidable one year-long strike, which yielded nothing at the end. That strike did not only weaken the system, but it also made parents and students to suffer untold hardship. Students lost one academic calendar to the strike, while parents suffered financially, yet lecturers were paid for the period they were on strike.
ASUU should dialogue with government – Chiamaka Egbu, public servant, Aba
I don’t think anybody in the country today will support the proposed ASUU strike, not when many students and parents are yet to come of the year-long ASUU strike, which ended up achieving nothing, except suffering students and their parents. It is my humble view that they should not embark on any strike, but dialogue with the government further. It is wrong for ASUU to be comparing what they earn with that of politicians. Most politicians have a limited period of eight years to be in office and therefore should not be compared with someone that has up to 35 years to serve.
FG should sign, implement 2009 agreement – Dr Tarilah Amakoromo, lecturer; Yenagoa
The federal government has the solution. It should sign and implement the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FG Agreement. The most recent agreement was submitted in February by the Yayale Ahmed led committee. Signing and the implementation have been the reason for continuous strikes. From Babalakin to Jibril to Nimi Briggs, FG has just refused to sign and implement the agreement.
Govt should fulfil agreement with ASUU – Emmanuel Ukusu, retired civil servant; Makurdi
The government should simply fulfil the agreement it reached with ASUU. If it is paying their money, they should pay it. That is the only thing that can avert the strikes because the agreement has been long; it’s been there for years. So, it is for the government to fulfil their agreement with ASUU and pay them what has been agreed, simple.
FG should address issues raised by ASUU – Titus Atondu, media practitioner; Makurdi
The government should pay ASUU their arrears of salaries and allowances and address all those concerns they have put forward.
The government must look at the welfare of our lecturers with utmost importance. Most of the lecturers are working under very harsh conditions, which are making some of them push hard on the students and the children on the parents.
Their salaries must be paid regularly, grants should be given to them, and working conditions should be good enough to keep them in the classrooms at all times. This is simple.
The government should fulfil that agreement reached with them. It will be a win win for everyone, government, lecturers, students, and even the parents.
FG should honour agreement with union – Bassey Bassey, journalist; Benin
The federal government should implement the agreement it signed with ASUU. The non implementation of the 2009 agreement between ASUU and federal government is the reason for the incessant strikes by the union.
It’s advisable for the federal government to honour this agreement, considering the socio-economic consequences it has on students, governance and parents.
It’s very absurd that when other parts of the world are developing with an improved standard learning curriculum, Nigeria is still operating below par, especially when Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other innovations now rule the world.
As a matter of urgency, we want the federal government to immediately implement the already signed agreement with the ASUU, improved condition of learning and teachings, their accrued salaries wages and allowance should be paid. In addition, we also urge the federal government to increase funding on Research and Development (R&D) to help scholars discover and invent more technological development in Nigeria. The federal government should not allow the union to embark on their industrial actions considering the impacts on students who could become tools in the devil’s hand.
Government must prioritise education – Dr. Collins Obhiozele, Pharmacist, Benin,
The federal government must prioritise education as a core investment, not an afterthought.
The ASUU’s demands are not outrageous – they centre on better working conditions and an enabling environment for teaching and research. If the government consistently implements agreements reached, rather than waiting for strikes to force action, these disruptions will end, and the students, the parents, and the nation at large will benefit.
FG should fulfil the agreement – Ohali Godswill, student, Port Harcourt
What I suggest is that the government should prioritise fulfilling its agreements with ASUU, particularly regarding lecturers’ welfare and working conditions. If the government pays lecturers better and provides an environment conducive for teaching, they’ll be motivated to teach and research.
Both parties should work together – Douglas Biteboye Ebiekimiete, student; Port Harcourt
I believe that the government needs to be more truthful in educational issues. I suggest that both ASUU and the government should collaborate to establish a clear path forward, particularly regarding the 2009 agreement and related matters. If both parties work together sincerely, they can find a lasting solution to the strike.
