December 14, (THEWILL) – The Calabar Zone of the Academic Staff Union Of Universities says it’s parent body did not compel the federal government to sign the 2020 Memorandum of Action with the union.
They made this known in a statement in Calabar signed by the chairpersons of all the seven branches of the union as well as the Zonal Coordinator Aniekan Brown, PhD, as well as Nsing Ogar, the immediate past coordinator.
Zonal Coordinator of the union Aniekan Brown denied the allegations stressing that it amounts to cheap blackmail on the union.
He warned the federal government not to reignite a dying fire of industrial harmony which the union has sustained in the past year.
Dr. Brown said, “It has also become very unfortunate that some employees of government could come to a public function to describe all agreements signed between Government and ASUU as one signed under duress by Government.
“This can best be taken as cheap blackmail. While we believe that the poor state of our university campuses is as a result of the collective irresponsibility of successive governments.
‘It is absolutely logical to state that the Government puts ASUU members and leadership under immense pressure and psychological duress with the attendant threat to lives to ensure that we sign such agreements under extreme excruciating conditions.
“An act of stopping someone’s livelihood is in itself, a life-threatening weapon of war even when there is no war. We therefore advise such Government employees to desist from misinforming the public to avoid re-igniting a dying fire of industrial disharmony, which ASUU has patriotically sustained in the past year”, he said.
He insisted that it is very unfortunate that almost one year down the line, the FGN is yet to fulfil her own part of the MoA.
He listed some of the issues to include revitalisation funds for Public Universities, Earned Academic Allowances as well as non-payment of some members.
The Zonal Coordinator also disclosed that the Treasury Single Account has failed in the University system but sadly many officers of the government have now won the inglorious responsibility of trying to gloss over this sordid development.
According to him, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) is being strangled by agents of the same government who eat fat from the status quo.
He added that the government has refused to deal with these issues possibly because most of their wards are studying in universities abroad.
He stressed that a stitch in time saves nine and called on the government to keep its side of the bargain to avoid a further showdown with the union.
About the Author
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
