By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
Sequel to the ongoing economic hardship that has continued to bedevil ordinary Nigerians, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has described the country as a nation that prioritises ‘palliatives’ over and above the empowerment of the poor.
It also said in view of the aforementioned and other lingering issues of the Union, the University of Jos branch strongly aligns with the position of ASUU NEC in giving government a 14-day ultimatum to do the needful in order to avoid breakdown of industrial harmony.
ASUU also decried that the quality of lives of the ordinary citizens has seriously declined, while the gap between the haves and the have nots has continued to expand; the rich continue to get stupendously richer while the poor are absolutely getting poorer.
The Union further lamented that for over a decade now, it has been engaging owners of public universities (Federal and State Governments), sadly, they are yet to meaningfully addressed the issues raised concerning their welfare.
This was disclosed by the chairperson of University of Jos branch of ASUU, Jurbe Molwus, while briefing journalists in Jos.
He said, “The socio-economic crises in which our nation, Nigeria, is currently engulfed are multifarious and multidimensional no thanks to the massive injection of neo-liberal policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
“In particular, the now famous ‘subsidy-is-gone’ pronouncement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his inauguration and the floating of the US Dollar’s exchange rate with Nigeria’s Naira have translated into hyper-inflation most noticeable in higher commodity pricing, galloping transportation costs, unaffordable housing, rising costs of public utilities including the banding, de-banding and re-banding of electricity tariffs, and many more.
“The quality of lives of the ordinary Nigerians has precipitously declined, and the gap between the haves and the have nots is daily expanding; the rich continue to get stupendously richer while the poor are absolutely getting poorer.
“The so-called middle class has since been wiped off by the increasing weight of dependants in a society that prioritizes ‘palliatives’ over and above the empowerment of the poor.
“So, while the masses suffocate from the adverse consequences of the neoliberal socio-economic policies of the government, members of the ruling class revel in questionable wealth that makes nonsense of the anti-corruption crusade.
“ASUU-NEC reviewed the invasive decline in the socio-economic lives of Nigerians and noted the imploding consequences if the trend is not arrested. “Nigerians can no longer eat well or sleep well.
“And the pervasive poverty has entrenched a multidimensional insecurity with the associated consequences. This is why the Government’s continued foot-dragging over the living wage for Nigerian workers and sustainable empowerment of poor Nigerians is an ill-wind that will blow no one any good.
“It is the considered view of ASUU-NEC that the Federal Government of Nigeria should immediately deploy the instrumentality of collective bargaining to conclude the social dialogue on the new minimum wage for the country as a first step.
“Governments at the Federal, State and council levels should also take a critical look at all unworkable policies and programmes sponsored by the international money lenders such as the World Bank and IMF with a view to reclaiming the country’s sovereignty and restoring the confidence of Nigerians in their country”, Molwus admonished.
While decrying that a catalogue of the issues it has raised with owners of public universities for over a decade ranging from; Arrears of Earned Academic Allowances, Revitalisation fund and non-Release of Owed/Withheld Salaries, Renegotiation of FGN/ASUU 2009 Agreement, Arbitrary Dissolution of Governing Councils in Public Universities, Unending grip of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), Proliferation of Universities among others.
“A number of issues on which ASUU has been engaging owners of public universities (Federal and State Governments) in the last one decade or so are yet to be meaningfully addressed.
“These include the nonpayment of our EAA arrears and three and half months withheld salaries already captured in the budget; the sanctity of legally constituted governing councils; review of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement; revitalization fund for public universities; earned academic allowances; and withheld salaries, promotion arrears, and third-party deductions of our members.
“The other issues are illegal recruitments; proliferation of public universities/abuse of universities’ rules/processes; and treasury single account (TSA) and new IPPIS vis-a-vis the autonomy of universities”, he explained.
“In view of a critical review of the current state of affairs in our public universities as well as in our nation at large bearing in mind the hardship being faced by our members and the Nigerian masses, the University of Jos branch of ASUU strongly aligns with the position of NEC in giving the government a 14-day ultimatum to do the needful in order to avoid breakdown of industrial harmony.
“Our Congress is undoubtedly, fully mobilised even as we hope that Government will be responsive and act responsibly”.
