ON ASUU STRIKE by Hene Enyi

On ASUU strike 2013

Its almost four months now since the Academic staff union of universities(ASUU) embarked on another strike action to protest the non-implementation of the 2009 agreement between the union and the Federal government. Consequent to this development, there has been a wide array of opinions from all angles as to who is to blame for the continued strike action. Some are of the opinion that ASUU is to blame for the uncompromising stand, others believe the FG is for insincerity and still another group believe the strike action has a political undertone and is aimed at discrediting the present administration. # articles,
However an objective look at this strike action shows that ASUU is not demanding for anything new but for an implementation of the 2009 agreement.
According to ASUU, there is no backing down until the terms of the agreement are met. The Federal government on his part has offered them a deal that would involve compromise but the union seems adamant. However, do you really blame them for taking that stance? Like the saying goes, "once beaten, twice shy". Afterall in 2011 the union again embarked on a strike action to remind the FG of its non implementation of the agreement and the FG signed an MOU restating its commitment to that agreement. While not absolving ASUU of blame because some items on that agreement are ludicrous and unimplementable especially with the current economic situation, it begs the question as to job of the seemingly large retinue of advisers and special advisers to the presidency( especially in education and finance) wouldn't it have been their job to ADVICE the government that the terms of agreement were not feasable so that a realistic and implementable agreement could be reached? Or was the Federal government displaying insincerity in signing an agreement they knew they could not implement?
The Union too is not absolved of blame as the rot in our tertiary institutions cannot be corrected by money alone. How about the 'sex for marks', 'money for marks', lazy attitude of lecturers and plagiarism plaguing our Universities, can these be corrected by funds? What is the guarantee that the funds when injected into the system will not be embezzled? Are the so called earned allowances actually justifiable? The lecturers are quick to point out the salaries of our legislators as an excuse for their quest increased remuneration, but they forget that these people only make up a minute fraction of the working class. Are they then implying that their work is more important than that of other sectors who are not agitating for raises too? Like a friend of mine said, if you are too interested in earning like the legislators, resign and join politics.
The way forward then is for the Federal government and the union to drop all pretenses and hidden agenda and lay the cards on the table just the way they are. So that a workable and realistic solution can be reached and the students can return back to school as their lives have been put on hold for so long. This is hoping the strike action is called off in the shortest time possible.