The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Owerri Zone, has accused the minister of labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige, and his education counterpart, Chief Emeka Nwajiuba, of feeding Nigerians with lies and half-truth, as concerned the negotiation to end the lingering industrial action.
Addressing a press conference at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, the ASUU zonal Coordinator, Comrade Uzo Onyebinama, described the trending rumour making the round on social media that the Federal government and the Union have reached an agreement to end the industrial action as fake news, purportedly cook by some top government officials whose children are studying abroad.
He said, “For the avoidance of doubt, Onyebinama noted that the issues in contention remain revitalisation fund for public universities, arrears of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), visitation to universities, the proliferation of state universities and issues of governance in them, and conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement.
“Instead of apologising to the Nigerians and hiding their heads in shame on the serial failures of Governments particularly the present Government which came on the mantra of change, the duo, Chris Ngige and Emeka Nwajiuba, have been feeding Nigerians with lies and half-truth.
“Dr Ngige and Chief Nwajiuba have on many occasions on various media organisations said that agreement have been reached on virtually all the issues that necessitated the 7 months old strike. They should please tell Nigerians, who are their masters, those agreements that have been reached and implemented.
“As far as our Union is concerned, no agreement has been reached on any of the demands. So instead of constantly running to the press, Ngige and Nwajiuba should sit down and painstakingly do the work that they are paid to do. It is on record that the date given by the Minister Ngige to reach our Union with Government improved position has elapsed without any communication.
“The proposed new timelines for implementation of some proposals such as the appointment of a new team for renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, gazetting of visitation panels among others have elapsed without any implementation. This shows the insincerity on the part of Government.
“On IPPIS, our Union has been consistent in rejecting the platform as it compromises the autonomy of the University system and a threat to national security considering that the software is hosted in Washington, USA with a sub-platform at Gombe State. Our Union has spent millions of naira of check-off dues of her members and produced the local solution, University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), which will protect the greatest human asset of the country, fight corruption, ensure transparency and satisfy University Autonomy.
“We are therefore surprised that the Ngige could go on air to present information which he has not verified as truth to the unsuspecting public.”
He said the strike would continue, appealing to the students and parents to prevail on federal government to address the matter fairly and quickly.
