The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has stated that the union is not a pessimist group but a pressure group that has been established to ensure that the government does all in its power to make university education desirable for all Nigerians especially those without the wherewithal to travel out of the country.
The national president, Prof Ukachukwu Awuzie who stated this to LEADERSHIP, said the union is bent on witnessing the stage where ‘students produced by Nigerian universities are able to meet up with international standards’.
He said the federal government had failed the union countless times which has led to the backwardness in the sector, thereby making the country’s universities lead from behind.
He said ‘ASUU has been failed in the past, adding that it is giving the government the opportunity to address issues that are still pending’.
Prof Awuzie, who was optimistic that the federal government will change for the better if given the chance, said the union will meet quarterly in its various campus and national chapters to assess the format and development made so far. He said we have resolved to be ‘talking and working to achieve results’.
The union is demanding the amendment of pension and retirement age of academics on the professorial cadre from 65 to 70 years, establishment of pension fund administrator, reinstatement of prematurely dissolved governing councils, transfer of federal government landed property to universities and the setting up of research and development units by companies operating in Nigeria and teaching as well as research equipment for laboratories and classrooms.
He said ‘These positions were duly taken to all branches for consideration in accordance with the democratic principles of our union. Our members nationwide met at their respective congresses on Monday to discuss and assess governments’ position vis-à-vis the requirements of the agreement, especially on the major issues in contention’.