ASUU Appeals to Buhari to Show Mercy to Students

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to show mercy on students in the country's public universities by quickly meeting the demands of the union.

Lecturers in public universities across the country have been on strike since November 5, 2018.

The union in a statement signed by the Chairman of University of Ibadan chapter, Dr. Deji Omole, said the lecturers are on strike to make the ruling class responsible for the future of Nigerian children.

He described the call attributed to the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, that the union should have mercy on students and call off its strike, as "a merciless utterance," noting that the statement has exposed the government as insincere and callous to the wellbeing of Nigerian students.

According to him, since government is a continuum, it is regrettable that the minister who is being paid salaries put in place by previous governments will say that  previous governments caused the problem of the strike by signing the 2009 agreement.

While noting that the present administration under the leadership of President Buhari has not shown mercy to education and health sectors in the country, Omole said the union has a genuine concern to truncate the plans of the ruling capitalist to destroy the future of Nigerian youths by not funding education.

The ASUU boss maintained that education is an instrument of liberation which would stop many youths from joining kidnapping gangs, armed robbery, militancy and terrorism.

According to him, "We are patriots, otherwise we would not go on strike. We would have been looking and allow everything to be destroyed. But we cannot allow our future (children) to be taught in zoo-like conditions. This kind of education system cannot give us a leader who will be kind to others if we are not kind to them by giving them the best environment to learn from.

“Nigerians should join us to beg President Buhari to meet our demands on time rather than using keep-them-talking approach."