Strike: PCC Mediates in NANS, ASUU’s Rift

•Ogun Chief of Staff advises universities’ union to change style

James Sowole in Abeokuta and Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

Disturbed by the lingering national strike embarked on by university lecturers, the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), has held a truce meeting with the leaderships of the National association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), for timeous resolution of the crisis.

Also, the Chief of Staff to the Ogun State Governor, Alhaji Shuaibu Salisu, yesterday, advised ASUU to change its strategy towards addressing funding and other issues in public schools in Nigeria.

However, the ASUU Chairman, Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Dr. Gabriel Omonijo and his counterpart in the Ekiti State University, Dr. Kayode Arogundade, represented the union at the parley, while the students were led by the Chairman, NANS/JCC, Ekiti axis, Com. Felix Olanrewaju.

At the peace meeting held in Ado Ekiti, the PCC Commissioner, Ekiti State office, Mr. Kayode Bamisile, said every right thinking Nigerian must be disturbed by the lingering strike in the universities and the attendant crises.

Bamisile said PCC waded into the matter as a federal government’s agency seeking to end the feud for students to return to their campuses, couped with complaints being received from the public over blockage of Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki road by students, causing economic damage to the state.

Having listened to the two unions, the PCC boss said: “I love the way you have conducted yourselves. I will take your positions to our Chief Commissioner in Abuja for onward transmission to the Minister of Education, because part of our administrative duties is peaceful resolution of industrial disputes.

“We are all worried with the current trend, where all campuses are under lock and key. Our university system must be strong to enjoy global patronage. I am optimistic that our intervention will yield good result.”

Earlier, NANS/JCC leader, Olanrewaju, said as much as the students were angry with federal Government for reneging on its promises to academic staff, ASUU’s position on the closure of schools was not the best option, saying this signposted insensitivity and wickedness.

“ASUU and FG must come together and settle this as matured and scholarly individuals, that is our unyielding position. Nigeria can’t be building its future leaders this way. If they continue with this strike, it means we have no future.

“We are ready to be on the streets until the right things are done. The ASUU ought to be seat of intellect and builders of intellectuals. Why should the same people keep all students at home? No, we disagree with this. Let them know that the coming protest will be worse than ENDSARS”.

Expressing disgust at the ways ASUU’s members were being treated, FUOYE’s chairperson, Dr. Omonijo, said it was worrisome that the salary structures operational in universities was approved in 2009, adding that the highest paid professor in Nigeria earned N508,000.

“Regrettably, ASUU is one of the least paid workers in Nigeria. Our universities in term of infrastructure are nothing but relics and we have made it clear that our universities must not die the way our primary and secondary schools died. Hardly could you see any parent now sending his wards to public schools.

“The issue is very simple: the FG must listen to us. They must fulfill the agreements reached with us on funding of universities, autonomy, the issue of IPPIS and our general welfare to stop brain drain and the killing of our educational system.”

Salisu, Ogun State’s Chief of Staff, who spoke at a news conference, organised by the Old Students of Okeona Grammar School (OGSOSA), to herald 60th Anniversary of Okeona Grammar School, Abeokuta, Ogun State, said stakeholders have to collaborate on how to evolve policies to address challenges in the education sector and particularly in government owned universities.

Salisu, who is also an old student of Okeona Grammar School, said old students of the school, had executed a number of projects to address infrastructural problem in his alma mater.

“The problem in the education system required a multi-dimensional and multifaceted approach. It will also require the collaboration of all stakeholders in a manner that will seek to solve the problem rather than pointing fingers at each other.

“Pointing fingers at each other from now till kingdom comes will not solve the problem. We need to evolve a novel idea to solve this problem. In our citadel of learning, Incessant strike has not produced the result, agreement has not produced the result, there must be something new we can try.

“I am challenging ASUU, particularly in our citadel of learning, they must come up with a new innovative that will address the problem of funding of education in one hand and to ensure that the government keeps its promises.”