Brainnews returns this morning to update you on the latest on the ongoing ASUU strike in Nigeria.
Below is the latest updates you need to read:
1. Students to Fed Govt, ASUU: end strike
The Federal Government directed tertiary institutions to resume on October 12, after the long COVID-19 lockdown, which began in March.
But federal institutions could not resume because of the ASUU strike which began on March 9.
It was gathered that ASUU made efforts for government to intervene on the five major issues presented to the Federal Government — renegotiation, earned academic allowances, visitation panels to universities, revitalisation of infrastructure and proliferation of universities.
The strike further intensified following the union’s grouse about the government’s insistence on the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) for the payment of lecturers’ salaries and allowances. ASUU developed a homegrown payment platform, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) which it believed guarantees the autonomy of the university.
However, the union has not called off the strike because it is waiting for the government to conduct an integrity test on UTAS.
ASUU President Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said the government needed to give approval to the National Information Technology Development Agency to conduct integrity test on UTAS.
2. ASUU and Sexual Harassment Bill
In the past years, cases of sex, in exchange for grades have plagued tertiary institutions and gradually began to attract the interest of the media.
At a recent seminar, the First Lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi shared the story of a female student at the Department of Pharmacy at the then University of Ife ( now Obafemi Awolowo University).
The lady, who was victimised by a male lecturer for refusing his sexual advances decided to strip herself naked in the full glare of the public, shouting her harasser’s name to come to have his sexual fill after he had failed her in his course for three years consecutively. This happened when the First Lady herself was an undergraduate.
Academic institutions that are meant to protect students have become grounds for sexual predators to prey on female undergraduates. In 2018, Richard Akindele, a professor of Accounting at the Obafemi Awolowo University was accused by Monica Osagie, a postgraduate student, for demanding sex in exchange for grades.
He was later sacked by the university and sentenced to two years imprisonment.There was also the case of Boniface Igheneghu, a lecturer at the University of Lagos who was caught on camera sexually harassing an undercover reporter who posed as a minor seeking admission into the institution. Similarly, in November 2019, Akwa Ibom State University issued sack letters to eight randy lecturers for sexually harassing some female students and for extortion, after a thorough investigation .
3. Stakeholders back ASUU strike ‘to secure our children’s future’
Some education stakeholders have expressed support for the current strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to seek improved funding for public universities and get new salaries for lecturers.
The stakeholders spoke at a programme organised by the Ibadan Zone of ASUU at the University of Ibadan (UI) Conference Centre to brief participants on why the union embarked on the current strike and asked for suggestions from the public.
The union’s Ibadan Zonal Coordinator, Professor Ade Adejumo, who was represented by a former ASUU National Treasurer, Professor Ademola Aremu, regretted that government was making the children of the masses to serve the children of those in power, especially those educated abroad, by deliberately under-funding public university education in Nigeria.
Present at the event were the Chairman of ASUU chapter of UI, Professor Ayo Akinwole, Professor Moyo Ajao (UNILORIN), Dr. Biodun Olaniran (LAUTECH), Dr. Femi Abanikanda (UNIOSUN), Dr. Adesola Dauda (KWASU) and Dr. Dele Ashiru (UNILAG).
Taking the stakeholders through ASUU strikes, Aremu insisted that the union was fighting for the interest of children of the masses and the nation’s future.
Eyo Nse is a creative writer, blogger and a software engineer.
He is a simple individual who loves to see others succeed in life.
Mr Wisdytech as he is popularly known - started blogging in the early 2000's.
