As Nigerians lament the country’s economic difficulties as a result of President Bola Tinubu’s reforms, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has promised to battle the federal government.
Prof Nanmwa Voncir, ASUU’s acting Zonal Coordinator (Bauchi Branch), announced this on Friday while briefing journalists at the union’s secretariat in Jos, Plateau State’s capital.
Since taking office last year, President Tinubu has abolished fuel subsidies and currency restrictions, resulting in a tripling of gas prices and an increase in living costs as the naira fell against the dollar. Many Nigerians have resorted to the streets to express their discontent with Tinubu’s leadership style, despite the president’s calls for patience.
However, during a press conference, Voncir deplored the conditions of service in the nation’s tertiary institutions as well as the sufferings the masses were subjected to.
“We will never run away from confronting the ruling class in this country as long as they will never do what is right,” he said.
“Even if it is just for the socio-economic trouble of this country, ASUU will stand up and fight government. It is not just for our conditions of service, if just for the economic situation of this country (and) the poor man suffering, ASUU will stand up and fight.”
2009 Agreement
In 2009, the Federal Government entered into an agreement with ASUU on tripartite issues of conditions of service, funding, and university autonomy.
The body has been asking the government to honour the renegotiated agreement led by the late Emeritus Prof Nimi Briggs committee to avert looming strike action. They argued that the government’s honouring of the agreement would prevent the nation’s varsities from collapsing.
The union also raised concerns on numerous court cases instituted to address lingering issues that are responsible for the downturn in the tertiary institutions.