The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the Federal Government of neglecting to make university education a priority in the country.
Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, the president of ASUU, made the claim during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.
He bemoaned the fact that the government is concentrating its efforts on a gasoline subsidy that he feels does not exist, rather than investing in the nation’s colleges.
The ASUU president claimed that the government has been insensitive to the union’s demands for more than two months since lecturers went on strike.
Also Read: ASUU Strike: Respect Collective Bargaining Agreements With Unions – NLC Tells FG
“A government that cannot raise N200 billion to revamp all Nigerian universities and bring them to world standard, doesn’t have money to do that but that same government can raise N4 trillion for fuel subsidy; fuel subsidy and university education, which is more important to any country that wants to move forward?” he queried during the breakfast show.
“You can raise N4 trillion for fuel subsidy in a year, but you cannot raise N200 billion to fund your education because you don’t have money; it is a priority. You can spend N228 billion to feed children in primary and secondary schools, but you cannot raise N200 billion to fund your universities; it is an issue of priority, that is the problem.”
Since the February strike, which paralyzed activities throughout public universities, Osodeke claims the administration has refused to take any concrete steps to address the teachers’ requests.
Nothing has actually happened, he claims, and the administration has showed no signs of wanting to settle the concerns.
People say that Nigerian politicians don’t know the value of education. But that is half-truth. They know the value of education, otherwise they won’t be sending their children to school abroad while our own education sector goes from bad to worse.
Something drastic needs to be done in this country. New Laws and Policies must be put in place to checkmate these incessant strikes. Politicians must be made to use Nigerian hospitals, their children must be made to school in Nigerian public schools.
When they refuse to release money to revamp the institutions and the lecturers resort to strike after exploring other means of resolution, the politicians’ children should also go home like every other Nigerian youth.
Sorry if my comment is too lengthy. Nigeria is just too annoying.