Why We Won’t Beg ASUU Over Strike | Nigerian Parents Reply Minister Of Lagos, Festus Keyamo

Nigerian parents, on the platform of National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN, have replied the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, after asking them to appeal to the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to call off the lingering strike.

The academic union declared a nationwide strike on Monday, February 14, 2022 and the strike has lingered till date. The union recently extended it by another four weeks.

The lecturers are demanding the release of the revitalization funds for universities, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, deployment of the University Transparency Accountability System for the payment of salaries and allowances of university lecturers, renegotiation of the ASUU-Federal Government 2009 agreement among others.

Several meetings between the striking lecturers and the Federal government has ended in deadlocks. Last week, President Muhammadu Buhari gave the Minister of Education to resolve the crisis within two weeks. The ultimatum ended on Thursday, August 4.

While speaking on Channels TV recently, Keyamo said the government had done its best and then appealed to parents to “beg” ASUU.

Reacting, the parents said they can only beg members of the ASUU, to call off their strike if government considers the reports of the various committees set up to look into the matter and come out with its decisions.

The body stated that it expects the Federal Government to come out publicly with its offers for it to know how to intervene and mediate between the two sides.

NAPTAN spoke through its National President, Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, in a chat with Vanguard on Sunday.

ALSO SEE: ‘Go And Beg ASUU’- Minister Of Labour, Festus Keyamo To Parents, Nigerians Knock Him

Danjuma said:

“Let the Federal Government consider all the reports of the various committees it set up to negotiate with ASUU. There was a committee led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, among numerous committees.

There has never been a time when parents are involved in the negotiation. We don’t want a situation where somebody will pitch us against ASUU or any group. The negotiation should involve parents, NANS, ASUU and government team.

What the government should do is consider the reports of those committees and look at areas they can afford or work on and present same to ASUU.

If whatever they can afford is unacceptable to the unions, then parents and others can come in to intervene.”

READ ALSO: ASUU Extends Ongoing Strike Again | Details

ASUU’s demands

Also speaking in a chat, the National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said it is subtle blackmail for anybody to insinuate that the union is pushing the government to borrow.

He advised that the government should get its priorities right to solve the impasse and do the needful.

“We are not asking the government to go borrowing. But since the Minister is a Nigerian, he should know what our demands are. Our demands include that they implement the Memorandum of Action signed in 202 with us.

“The document says government will release the first tranche of the Revitalisation Fund, pay Earned Academic Allowance, stop proliferation of universities, renegotiate the 2009 agreement among others.

“They have set up a committee to renegotiate the 2009 Agreement and they are yet to come up with anything from the report of the committee they set up.

“I wonder why some people behave as if they are living in another world entirely. Is it because they are occupying public offices that they seem to exist in another planet?”

he wondered.