has branded Minister of Finance, Okonjo-
Iweala 'a dictator' for her insistence that
Federal Government would not release an extra
kobo to fund education.
Members of the union who staged a peaceful
protest at the Enugu State University of
Science and Technology (ESUT) on Friday,
chanted songs and displayed placards
condemning the posture of the Minister.
Some of the placards carried by the lecturers
read "Okonjo-Iweala, take it or leave it is a
dictator's stance on labour industrial
negotiation", "Responsible government respects
agreement" and "No nation can develop
without genuine commitment to education".
Speaking with journalists after the protest,
Acting Chairman of ASUU ESUT chapter, Uche
Omeje, said they were protesting because the
federal government has refused to implement
an agreement it freely went into with ASUU in
2009 as well as their memorandum of
understanding of 2012.
"They have been dragging their feet and we are
not happy. Such statement like 'take it or leave
it' cannot promote education. No nation can
develop by not having a genuine commitment
to education, research and education.
"The Minister of Finance made a very clear
statement that take it or leave it, federal
government is not going to release extra ten
kobo to fund education. We are saying that to
make such a statement is clearly the mindset
of Brettonwoods institution or Washington
consensus. It is the mindset of a dictator"
Omeje said.
He noted that if any nation must develop, it
must show commitment to education, adding
that it is not an issue of 'take it or leave it'.
Omeje regretted that Nigeria occupies the
bottom rock of nations that spent so less in
education, stressing that the percentage of GDP
federal government spends on education is so
low when compared to other nations.
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