The national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof Ukachukwu Awuzie, has said that the possibility of future strikes cannot be ruled out as it is important that the signed agreement reached by ASUU and the federal government be met in order to put Nigerian universities at par with its counterparts in other parts of the world.
Prof Awuzie who spoke to LEADERSHIP WEEKEND yesterday, said the union is still committed to its mandate which includes funding for the revitalisation of the universities, progressive increase of annual budgetary allocation to the sector and amendment of pension and retirement age for academics on the professorial cadre among other demands.
According to him, getting employed is not the most important achievement for a graduate but self confidence needs be built before the search for jobs. He said: “Those of you who went to school of recent will discover that if not the contributions of ETF; we will not have most of the structures we have in place today and this is an ASUU initiative to stabilise education and this was since 1993. Government has started a process and should conclude it.”
He lamented over the number of students who apply for admission and yet do not get admitted, not necessarily because they are not qualified but because of the facilities which cannot absorb all of them at the same time.
It will be recalled that when the indefinite strike action lasted, ASUU said that their positions were duly taken with the democratic principles of the union as its members have assessed government’s positions, especially on the major issues in contention.
“NEC’s has been taken in the interest of the revitalisation of Nigerian universities and the need to vastly improve the quality of teaching and research in Nigerian universities. To achieve these goals, ASUU expects the government to fulfill its obligation in respect of funding and all other matters contained in its offers,” he further stated