ASUU: The Strike Will Continue, Even If It Takes Years Until Our Request Is Granted

The lingering strike actionn embarked on
by the Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, Chairman, Kogi State
University Chapter, Sylvester Osakwe
Ukwuteno, has said the union is ready to
fight until their request is granted, even if
takes more than a year, as he noted that
Ghana experienced a year and some
months strike before the government
came to their senses and the outcome is
currently obvious, “we would do even
more till our request is granted,” he
stated.
Despite the N30 billion released to the
striking university lecturers as payment
for the earned allowances, Ukwuteno, has
said that the ongoing strike by the union
will continue because the Federal
Government has not strengthened its
vision for the sector.
Speaking to Vanguard Learning in a
telephone interview, Ukwuteno explained
that if there are plans for the sector,
government would have speedily
concurred with the plea to innovate the
sector being pursued by the union, adding
that the pursuit of the union is to ensure
that the country meets up with
theinternational standard of education.
“We hope this would be the last strike that
will surface on this particular discourse,
hopefully if the government cares for
education because we will not budge until
our demands are met. The much
emphasis of ‘no money syndrome’ is all
lies as the president could convey over
300 entourage including himself, to China
coupled with their allowances, welfare
and other incentives, they should tell
Nigerians where the money is coming
from.
“The quest is not money motivated as
speculated, but to ensure that facilities
and other necessary equipment needed to
update the students are made scalable for
effective learning. Universities are
currently operating with little or no
equipment in the labs, making the labs
non-functional for practicals, thereby
sterilizing what is supposed to be
practically inclined.
“It took Ghana a year and some months
strike before the government came to their
senses and the outcome is currently
obvious, we would do even more till our
request is granted.”
He therefore urged the public to join in the
struggle by mounting pressure on the
government to hasten up in its decisions
because the students are the casualties
now, but will be the benefactors if
eventually granted.