Settle ASUU now or resign, Onitiri tells Education Minister
(Nigeria) Activist and critic, Otunba Adesunbo Onitiri has
advised the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu to settle with the Academic
Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, immediately or resign his post without delay.
Onitiri in a statement in Lagos on Thursday, said: “Adamu
must be told the truth that he cannot continue to remain in office while
Nigeria's university education is being messed up and lecturers are on
indefinite strike for months and government feeling unconcerned.
“Recalled that last year alone, ASUU went on strike for over
eight months, while millions of Nigerian students stayed home doing nothing. This
year again, ASUU had started another rounds of indefinite strike, thus ruining
and jeopardizing the future education of our youths.
“The ASUU has said if the government could release N200
billion to the universities, its members would go back to the classrooms
immediately to begin lectures and end the strike.
"How much is N200billion to the government that could
earmark N4trillion for oil subsidy? In saner climes, the Minister
of Education should have resigned his appointment or be sacked by the
government for non performance.
“If Adamu's children were attending Nigerian universities, would
be concerned about their education?
Onitiri regretted that because of ASUU's strike, many of the
Nigerian university students have taken to crime because idle hands are the
devil's workshop.
He called on the Federal Government to as a matter of
urgency, find solutions to the face of with ASUU, so that the students could go
back to the classrooms and continue with their studies and newly admitted
students could resume for their academic pursuits.
Onitiri said the money being demanded by the ASUU was too
infinitesimal to the amount of money being wasted by government officials for
frivolities and reckless spending.
He called on all well-meaning Nigerians, especially the
religious leaders, civil Societies and labour organisations wade into the face
of between the ASUU and the government and resolve it once and for all.
"Nigerians should not continue to watch unconcerned
while the future of our youths are being destroyed and messed up by the APC-
controlled Federal government," Onitiri charged.
The socio-political activist sounded a note of warning to
the government: "Presently, most tertiary institutions in the North have
been disrupted by Boko Haram and the bandits.
"All the higher institutions all over the federation are on strike and on compulsory vacation. Now that our national elections are around the corner, we cannot afford to have our youths idle. They will provide easy bodyguards to our devilish politicians."
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