COVID-19: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS NO PLANS FOR REOPENING OF UNIVERSITIES – ASUU

National President of ASUU, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi has during a stakeholder’s meeting at the Union’s Secretariat at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State said that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU will not suspend the ongoing strike action.

Professor Ogunyemi said the federal government has continually failed to fulfill its Memorandum of Action agreed in 2019, insisting that the federal government may trigger another round of crisis should it force ASUU members into the IPPIS Scheme.

He noted that unlike other sectors, nothing has been put in place by the federal government in accordance with the COVID-19 health protocols for reopening of schools adding that, “Students’ hostels, lecture rooms and laboratories do not meet standards of schools in other countries”, which he said is part of the reasons for the strike.

“The narratives coming from government quarters does not edify what the University stands for. What they have said about us does not represent what we are doing but because they have polluted us with those undeserving of the job.

“As we speak, IPPIS is recruiting people without subjecting them to due process of employment. They are polluting and diluting the configuration of Academia.

“We will revisit the whole thing after this strike. Any department or Faculty where you think due process was not followed in recruiting staff, reject them. We will stand by you.

“The Nigerian Project cannot be made possible unless our Universities rise to the occasion. Our stakeholders have a duty to listen to all parties.

“The ASUU strike of 2013 that lasted 6months, we wrote about 59 letters and had 20 meetings but in this ongoing strike we’ve written about four letters and we’ve had few meetings. We’ve met with the Senate President and the Speaker and several Ministers but the only language they understand is strike action,” he said.

The ASUU Chairman also accused Vice-Chancellors of diverting funds meant for the revitalization of universities.

He further advised the academic staff to avoid making themselves vulnerable to people he called economic vampires, threatening that plans are on the way to deal with all Vice-Chancellors involved in fraud.