ASUU: ONDO NLC PROTESTS OPPOSES CORRUPTION, ADVOCATES GOOD GOVERNANCE
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By Adeniyi Onaara
The Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government have been engaged in a dispute that the Ondo State Branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress and its counterparts in other states of the Federation are unable to resolve.
In support of ASUU, the national labor union announced a two-day demonstration. The goal of the demonstration was to terminate the ongoing ASUU strike.
The state’s workers, including members of ASUU and other trade unions, participated in the demonstration in huge numbers.
They assembled at the Cenotaph in Alagbaka Akure as early as 7 am wearing branded shirts and then left for several well-known spots in the city.
The workers carried signs that read, among other things, “FG, grant our demands,” “No to IPPIS discrepancies,” “No to salary difference in the universities,” and “Enough is enough” as they marched across the busy Oba Adesida Road. They also sung songs of unity.
Sunday Adeleye, the state’s NLC chairman, spoke to the demonstrators and bemoaned the ongoing ASUU strike, which he claimed had devastated tertiary education in Nigeria. He urged the federal government to give in to the lecturers’ demands so that students could return to the classroom.
Adeleye stated that the NLC would “relentlessly advocate for decent government that will ensure the future of Nigerians, particularly workers and students.”
Prof. Peter Awopetu, the chairman of the ASUU at the Federal University of Technology in Akure, also spoke. He accused the administration of being cruel and insensitive, claiming that it has spent billions of dollars on politics and power plays but nothing on education.
He stated, “As of today, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has not taken any action despite the President’s directive, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.). That indicates that one of the two weeks has been wasted.
We are all over the age of 18, so to suggest that someone is funding us would be offensive. Don’t we understand what it is we are going through? Should we not visit the market? In a country where the minimum wage is N30,000,
N170 billion is being stolen by one guy. Nobody should be allowed to tell Nigerians that there is no money in Nigeria, we must tell this government.
The Nigerian government must perform its responsibility and close any openings for theft of N170 billion.
On behalf of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, the state Head of Service accepted the petition from the demonstrators and assured them that the Federal Government will take all necessary steps to put a stop to the ongoing strike.
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