The COVID-19 pandemic and the seasonal ASUU strike have collapsed academic activities in all public universities in the country. Just recently students and parents were jubilating and praising ASUU for calling off their nine-month strike, but as it is we are not too sure if schools will resume.
According to reports, part of the agreement reached between FG and ASUU is that nine month salary arrears will be paid in which only two months promise was redeemed as at November last year. Lecturers in public universities are yet to even receive their December salary and it’s already seven days into the month of January. Also the agreement that the FG will pay the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) has not been redeemed.
ASUU is currently threatening to embark on another strike. This attitude of the government of not giving a damn whether students are in school or not is baffling. The APC-led government campaigned vigorously to Nigerians that they should be voted to bring an everlasting solution to the recurring ASUU strike.
The question I keep asking myself is, are we lacking funds to pay these lecturers? Then what happened to the funds allocated for the payment of lecturers’ salaries.
Nigerian politicians have succeeded in bastardising educational institutions through negligence.
The federal government, just like every other responsible government anywhere in the world, should please redeem its promise to ASUU so that students can go back to classes.
Dauda Haruna Tula
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