strike. It's been four long months (Quite
shameful I must add) with no apparent
resolution to the conflict in sight...and some
people are blaming the Minister of finance Dr
Okonjo Iweala for what's going on.
Some people in ASUU have been distributing
flyers with abusive messages against Dr
Okonjo-Iweala and now the ministry is issuing
a statement about it, saying the minister is
not the problem. I'd rather read about when
ASUU is calling off this strike to be honest.
Find the press statement below
Contrary to some recent media reports,
the Federal government has not adopted
a take-it-or-leave-it approach in its
negotiations with ASUU. Rather, the
approach is focused on positive
engagement and achieving sustainable
solutions to the challenges facing higher
education in the country. That is why
President Goodluck Jonathan recently
appealed to ASUU to respond to
government’s positive steps by calling
off its strike in the interest of suffering
students and parents.
Despite this, for several days now, some
elements in ASUU have been distributing
pamphlets and flyers with abusive and
inflammatory messages against the
Coordinating Minister for the Economy and
Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in
mosques and other places. This is taking
academic unionism to a new low and infusing
it with unnecessary politics. I am sure
majority of ASUU members are not in support
of this.
These messages are directed at using
falsehood to demonize the Minister as callous
and unsympathetic to the plight of students
and parents. The major lie being peddled in
the pamphlets and flyers is that Dr Okonjo-
Iweala has insisted on a “take-it-or-leave-it
approach” in the negotiations with ASUU.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala is the daughter of two
retired professors and her father is presently a
member of ASUU’s Board of Trustees and has
been one for a long time. She speaks with her
father everyday on the issue so how can be
insensitive to issues concerning the sad state
of tertiary education in the country? She
understands and sympathizes with the plight
of both students and lecturers. She wants our
children back in school as soon as possible.
Remember she is a mother and two of her
young relatives are sitting at home due to the
strike.
This is why government is working hard,
under the leadership of the President, to seek
practical and sustainable solutions to the
challenges facing higher education in Nigeria.
The President has made available N100 billion
a year in the first instance to repair hostels,
laboratories and classrooms and other
facilities. An offer has also been made to
ASUU of N30 billion towards their earned
allowances. In fact, negotiations have even
gone further than this. This is the first time, in
years of negotiating with government, that
significant sums of money have been put on
the table for ASUU and universities on this
particular set of issues. The Coordinating
Minister is fully part of this.
Against this background, ASUU elements who
want the strike to continue should have a
heart and rethink their current take-it-or-
leave-it approach to negotiation. Government
has demonstrated its commitment to
improving the university system. And it is
even ready to do much more going forward.
ASUU should listen to the voice of reason and
the yearnings of Nigerians on this issue.
Paul C Nwabuikwu
Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister
and Minister of Finance
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