Why ASUU should not call off its strike

SIR : I recently listened to a call- in
program on radio in which the topic of
discussion was the strike action by the
Academic Staff Union of Universities ,
ASUU. The forum soon turned into a
platform for apportioning blame . But
while few persons looked in the
direction of government , majority went
after ASUU. Some appealed to the
lecturers to consider the interest of the
students and call off the strike . Some
others admonished them to be
reasonable and accept what the
government has offered and return to
work immediately. Still some others
lambasted them for being self- centered
and unpatriotic.
The issue at hand is not really complex
as some people are wont to make it
appear . ASUU declared the strike action
after the federal government failed to
implement the 2009 agreement the two
parties signed. Among other things, the
agreement sought to put a stop to the
embarrassing collapse of our education
system . Now who is to blame here?
After negotiation, government had
offered to release N 30 billion - a shift
from its initial posture that there was no
money . Meeting ASUU’s demand , it said ,
can shut down the country. Interesting !
Experience has shown that there is
enough resource to meet the
unquantifiable greed of those in power
but not for the basic needs of the
country .
The body language of government since
the start of the strike action could
largely be described as lukewarm . It has
never really shown real seriousness or
urgency to resolve the issue . Well , can
one blame the officials; who among
them is his / her children affected ? It is
the children of unfortunate Nigerians
who bear the consequences of their
irresponsibility .
There’ s no money to develop our
education sector but there is for
government officials to send their
children to schools abroad. There’s
money to buy and service the many jets
in the presidential fleet (of a country
that does not manufacture a single
aircraft part ), there’s money to service
the outrageous pay and allowances of
officials , there’s enough money to
sacrifice to subsidy thieves, there’s
enough money to burn at the altar of
corruption. Who is fooling who? The
gullibility and docility of Nigerians are
their undoing . Where really is the
National Association of Nigerian
Students , NANS? What then is the
essence of its existence ?
How many of those berating ASUU have
demanded transparency from
government ? How many bother about
the incredible cost of governance , how
many bated an eyelid when the
Economist magazine released a report
that placed our legislators as the highest
paid in the world? How many question
why we should have battalion of
ministers ? People should leave ASUU
alone.
If we cannot demand justice and good
governance then we should endure ( and
even learn to enjoy ) the suffering we
deserve . ASUU should not call off the
strike until the agreement is fully
honoured ; government should curb its
own waste.
• Nnoli Chidiebere
Aba, Abia State .
Source: The nation