Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
Amid growing concern about devastative effects of fuel and Naira scarcity, the Academic Staff Union Of Universities (ASUU) has said it will work with the new leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other patriotic Nigerians to protect and further the interests and well-being of all Nigerians.
The union also said rather than abating, the cankerworm of corruption is gaining deeper roots each day among Nigerians entrusted with their collective patrimony.
In a statement by its president, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke yesterday, ASUU said the crisis arising from the redesign of the country’s currency has affected every sector of the economy and will require very serious efforts by developmental economists to fully determine the magnitude of its damage.
The union expressed support for last week’s Supreme Court ruling, which halted the February 10 deadline on the Naira design policy, saying it would serve to mitigate the aggravated suffering of Nigerians occasioned by the policy.
It warned of an ominous cloud hanging on the horizon with frightening foreboding for Nigeria if urgent steps are not taken to “suture the bleeding wound of the land”.
ASUU said: “It is unimaginable that a transiting government would elect to swim in an ocean of chaos as exemplified by the currency swap crisis and scarcity of petroleum products on the eve of an election season.
“We do not subscribe to the speculation about some fifth columnists who were out to truncate the transition.
“However, ASUU calls on Nigerians irrespective of tongue, tribe or religion to stand for deepening and defending democracy. Let’s work with patriotic Nigerians in labour and civil society to resist anti-people policies and mitigate the people’s suffering.
“On our part, ASUU shall work closely with the new leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other patriotic Nigerians to protect and further the interests and well-being of all Nigerians at all time”.
ASUU also lamented what it described as anti-poor policies of the federal government in the education sector.
It said while the ruling class virulently attacked ASUU for insisting on government’s adequate funding of universities and paying a morale-enhancing remuneration for Nigerian academics, it’s position has been vindicated going by a gale of anti-fees’ protests resonating across the campuses.
In addition, ASUU said the poor funding of education is among the triggers for the new wave of brain drain, called the ‘Japa syndrome’, which is not unconnected with the debilitating working and dwelling environment.
“Added to this are the scornful treatments given to academic and medical personnel who other nations handle as treasures of inestimable value, and aversion for collective bargaining evident in anti-labour policies such as “no work, no pay” and “divide-and-rule,” it said.
ASUU said it would work with patriotic Nigerians in labour and civil society to resist anti-people policies and mitigate the people’s suffering.
ASUU accused the Buhari-led administration of failing in it’s promise to fix the refineries as a means of addressing the downstream petroleum products supply crisis.
“This outgoing government raised Nigerians’ hope of fixing the country’s refineries when it was coming to power in 2015. Eight years down the line, it has been giving one excuse after another; allowing a free rein to the oil subsidy scammers! Nigerians know the truth; they know the local refineries can work if the core leadership of the ruling class is willing to commit class suicide. But it’s a poisonous tablet none is willing to swallow.
“For a vast majority of workers, peasants and the unemployed, it has been a long tale of the rich getting richer, and the poor getting poorer. We in ASUU are saying it is not in the interest of the political class that the suffering is further aggravated in any manner whatsoever.
“Indeed, it is in the interest of the ruling class to rise to the challenge of guaranteeing the “security and welfare” of the people – the primary purpose of every government. Political appointees, at whatever level, were elected or selected to serve the people and not the other way round.
“The ominous cloud hanging on the horizon comes with frightening foreboding for a fragile country if urgent steps are not taken to suture the bleeding wound of the land,” it said.
