ASUU strike: ANC gives FG seven-day ultimatum

A civil rights organisation, the Anti-
Corruption Network, has given the Federal
Government "one week" to resolve its
dispute with the striking members of the
Academic Staff Union of Universities.
It said it would mobilise Nigerians for a
protest to the Federal Ministry of
Education.
The group, which expressed
disappointment at government's
lukewarm attitude to the plight of
students, suggested that President
Goodluck Jonathan should take loan to
offset the N92bn being demanded by
ASUU.
It said in a statement by its Executive
Secretary , Dino Melaye, that
government's attitude showed that it had
no interest in the future of Nigerian
students.
The statement reads in part, "The ongoing
face-off between the Federal Government
and ASUU is a reflection of bad
government and keeping quiet would be
like the proverbial adult who, while at
home, allowed the she-goat to suffer the
pains of malnutrition on its tether.
"The Federal Government as far back as
2009 went into an agreement with ASUU
and signed that agreement. Why will you
agree to what you don't intend to do? A
gentleman will go into an agreement and
then carry out the agreement to the latter.
The agreement was made in 2009; why
was there no budgetary provision for that
agreement in 2010, 2011, 2012 and
2013?
"Why would the Federal Government enter
into an agreement they don't intend to
implement? So we are giving them one
week of grace and if by Friday next week,
the government did not resolve the crisis
with ASUU, we will mobilise Nigerians,
students and parents to be on the streets
to protest against this reckless and
irresponsible government.
"By Friday next week, if the Federal
Government refuses to resolve the ASUU
crisis, we will protest to the Federal
Ministry of Education where we will
register our anger against an insensitive
government.
"They just went to China to secure a loan
of $1.1bn. Why is it difficult for the
Federal Government to raise N92bn to
solve the problem in our education
sector? Education is the bedrock of every
development; it is the bedrock of any
nation. It is shameful that the Federal
Government is showing this lackadaisical
attitude towards the next generation.
"If the Federal Government is serious,
there is something in the parliament that
is called virement. There are lots of
contracts that have been budgeted for in
this dispensation that they have not even
started this month.
"All the Federal Government needed to do
is for the President to write the National
Assembly and seek for a virement or even
take a loan. They can spend money on
frivolities, they can spend money on very
many unreasonable things. But the
Federal Government cannot source for
N92bn. Above all, the Federal Government
has shown that is is not a responsible
government."
Also the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad
Abubakar III, on Thursday advocated for
sustainable peace in Nigeria and its
universities.
According to him, sustainable peace is
very crucial to the realisation of Nigeria's
scientific, technological and socio-
economic needs.
"Without peace, there won't be any
chance for development, and this will be
disastrous for Nigeria and the world,'' the
Sultan said.
He also said that peace in the universities
and other institutions would impact
positively on the training of quality
manpower for the nation.
"If this is not ensured, the opposite will be
the case and the county would continue to
lag behind,''the monarch added.