The Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU) monday took a swipe at the administration of President Muhammadu
Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the
depreciating level of the economy and the ensuing suffering of the
masses, accusing the president and the party of running a change
government that is devoid of transformation.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on
the state of the nation, ASUU President, Dr Nasir Isa, explained that
the symptoms of the prevailing economic crisis has become obvious with
its attendant consequences and overall burden on Nigerians.
Isa said: “There is no doubt that
Nigerians are suffering. There exists a socio-economic crisis in
Nigeria. We are all aware of the manifestations of the crisis which our
country faces. There are many symptoms of the crisis: rising level of
poverty; increasing rate of unemployment; heightened expectation leading
to heightened frustration among Nigerians due to the failure to realise
an improved living standard.”
He argued that government’s inability to
squarely tackle the present economic hardship has had a ripple effect
on the daily lives of the masses, stressing that, “food prices are
higher and access to health facilities has not improved; live and
property remain insecure. In short, Nigerian people are still
suffering,” Isa stated.
The ASUU president further maintained
that so far, since the inception of the administration, “the
disappointment of Nigerians stems from the fact that we have a
government whose leadership promised change but which is not practising
transformation (deep, fundamental change).
“Democracy in Nigeria is still seen
superficially as what leaders do for the people rather than government
by the people. Democracy is essentially popular participation in
governance and popular sovereignty. Yet, there is in existence a long
term national development plan agreed upon in 2008 (Nigeria’s Vision 20:
2020). This has been abandoned in favour of IMF/World Bank imposed and
enforced Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEFF) and Fiscal Strategy
Paper (FSP),” ASUU said.
The body accused the government of pursuing an economic and political ideology that is more embedded in propaganda.
“Some of these ideologies are explicitly stated while others are implicit. Sometimes, those who have implicit ideologies claim to have no ideology at all,” they stressed.
“Some of these ideologies are explicitly stated while others are implicit. Sometimes, those who have implicit ideologies claim to have no ideology at all,” they stressed.
The union also decried the haphazard
payment of salaries to its members. According to ASUU Convener, Finance
and Investment, Dr. Muhammed Usman, since December 2015, ASUU members
have continued to face untold hardship due to the distorted nature of
salary payment by government.
Usman cited University of Ibadan and
other first generation universities facing the brunt of haphazard
payment of their salaries.
On the Panama papers scandals where the
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Senate President, David Mark,
Alhaji Dantata and Gen. T.Y. Danjuma (rtd) were mentioned, ASUU stated
that the right thing to do was to investigate the matter and if anybody
is culpable, such person should be jailed.
“What is the normal thing done to tax
evaders? Isa asked. “If you catch somebody evading tax, you know what to
do. In other countries, if you are caught evading tax, you pay all the
taxes that you failed to pay, there are other financial punishments.
Apart from that, you also go to jail. No matter how powerful you are,
there is no exception. If anybody is involved, I think the right thing
should be done,” he said.
ASUU also condemned in strong terms, the
on-going fuel crisis, stating that it has created a deep gulf between
the government and the people, “the current fuel crisis has adverse
consequences on the socio-economic life of the nation; it has increased
the cost of food, transportation, electric power as well as general cost
of living. It has created political cost.
“It has also widened the distance
between the government and the people, and created distrust between the
people and the government. It has caused general social tension in the
land. Government is slow in implementing the policies it pronounced in
2015,” ASUU president added.
Further, ASUU lambasted the government
over its failed attempt to reposition the power sector, stating that
after some years, “the DISCOS have failed to deliver on their promise of
free distribution of pre-paid meters. And despite massive protests of
workers and other patriotic Nigerians, the DISCOS are forcing the hiked
electricity tariff regimes down the throat of the citizens.”
On the sacked vice-chancellors, ASUU
said the VCs were in the first place appointed wrongly, therefore, the
body “will not lose sleep over the sack of the VCs.”
It maintained that ASUU had earlier
warned against their appointments, but government ignored their pleas,
to the detriment of extant laws governing universities.
ASUU also warned against the erosion of universities’ autonomy, stating that recent government pronouncements with regards to the university system was not in the interest of the academia; neither does it exist within the rules of university autonomy.”
ASUU also warned against the erosion of universities’ autonomy, stating that recent government pronouncements with regards to the university system was not in the interest of the academia; neither does it exist within the rules of university autonomy.”
The ASUU also opposed the move by
President Buhari to borrow the sum of $2 billion from the Chinese
government to finance various infrastructural projects.
The president, who arrived Beijing, the
Chinese capital monday, is expected to facilitate the granting of the
loan to Nigeria, with focus on key strategic and developmental projects
of the administration.
But speaking against the loan, the ASUU president said it was unwarranted, and argued that Nigeria already had resources to cater for such needs.
But speaking against the loan, the ASUU president said it was unwarranted, and argued that Nigeria already had resources to cater for such needs.
He said: “Monies can be collected; taxes
and all the stolen money that we are recouping; when we put everything
together, and do the right thing, I assure we will get more than $2
billion from there. So why do you need to go and borrow when you have
enough to address your problem?” Isa asked.
Culled from Thisday
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