Reactions have continued to trail the extension of the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The striking lecturers had on Monday extended their warning strike which expired on May 8 by 12 weeks.
This was after their meetings with the Federal Government failed to yield positive results.
The nationwide warning strike was first embarked upon by ASUU on Feb. 14 to press home their demands.
It lasted for four weeks but was extended on March 15 for another eight weeks.
The third extension was announced on Monday, for 12 weeks.
The National President of the union, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, stated that members extended their roll-over strike to enable the Federal Government to address issues in concrete terms.
According to him, the extension of the strike was due to Federal Government’s inability to implement the agreement it entered into with the union.
The issues the striking lecturers are agitating for include the revitalisation of public universities, EARNED Academic Allowances and the implementation of their payment platform known as the University Transparency Accountability Solution, (UTAS).
Other issues are promotion arrears and the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU/Federal Government agreement among others.
Prof. Chinwe Obaji, one-time Minister of Education, told NAN in an interview that the entire saga was not putting the country in good light before the international community.
According to her, the whole issue would have been long resolved, if both parties had shown some sense of commitment and sincerity.
She noted that it was only when the parties involved showed the sincerity of purpose that there would be a headway, toward resolving the issues.
“This whole back and forth between ASUU and the Federal Government is becoming a huge embarrassment to the Nigerian state.
“I sincerely doubt if there is any country in the world that does not have its own issues.
“But the question we must ask is, is this the way they resolve it? Accusations and counter-accusations. We do not know what to believe anymore.
“It is indeed becoming a big shame to a country like Nigeria.
“Why I feel pained the most is that, in all of these, the children and indeed parents are the ones bearing the brunt.
“It is time, we looked ourselves in the eyes and told ourselves the hard truth,” she said.
The former minister said this could be achieved if the government and ASUU showed some form of sincerity and commitment to the course of the country.
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“The sooner we show the sincerity of purpose with our education sector, the better for us all. If there was an agreement, let it be honoured,” Obaji told NAN.
According to her, the government must strive not to enter into any agreement that it would not be able to implement.
Obaji said if there was honesty and sincerity of purpose on the side of both parties, the issue would not have degenerated to its present state.
She urged ASUU to ensure that it followed up speedily on any agreement it entered into with anyone and ensure its implementation.
The former minister warned that keeping the children at home continuously was a disaster waiting to happen, in a country that was already overburdened with many vices.
“The children have been at home and are idle. We will not wait until some of them start talking about anti-social behaviour.
“This is election period, let us not wait for some persons to start recruiting them.
“After all, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Sometimes, one begins to wonder why it is each time elections are approaching that there will be a strike of this magnitude,” she said.
Mrs Yinka Bello, a businesswoman, whose son is in his third year in one of the public universities, said ASUU’s struggle was not to slow down the academic progress of the children or hold the government to ransom.
According to her, ASUU’s struggle is borne out of the concern it has for the poor development of the education sector in the country.
She noted that members of ASUU were also parents and had their children in these universities.
Bello said that but for the constant agitation by members of the union, the standard of the public universities would have been worse than it was.
“Government should listen to them by doing the needful so that they can go back to work.
“Many of the poor masses do not have where to run to, if not for all these public assets,” she said.
Mrs Toying Omoyele also a businesswoman, whose son is in 400 level, (Engineering), urged President Muhammadu Buhari to personally summon the striking lecturers and hear from them, first-hand.
According to her, those saddled with the responsibility of finding lasting solutions to the issue may not be giving him the real picture on the ground.
Another parent, Mr Kingsley Adiri, told NAN that two of his children in the Federal University of Technology in Owerri were already devastated by the current situation.
He pleaded with the concerned authorities to find a lasting solution to the issue.
“This strike will now extend the normal years of their graduation.
“Instead of the normal four years for their programmes, they will now spend more.
“It is not encouraging at all. Something should be done and fast too,” he said.
