ASUP strike: Another time bomb in Nigeria
Many believed that the #EndSARS protest was successful and made much impact because of the long strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at that time. On the 6th of April 2021, all the Nigerian 69 Polytechnics, Colleges of Agriculture and Colleges of Education are shutting down for an indefinite strike. […]
Many believed that the #EndSARS protest was successful and made much impact because of the long strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at that time.
On the 6th of April 2021, all the Nigerian 69 Polytechnics, Colleges of Agriculture and Colleges of Education are shutting down for an indefinite strike.
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This means the future of the Nigerian youths is heading to another misfortune. After the trauma, the poverty and the crash of hopes caused by the effects of coronavirus, another misfortune is befalling Nigerian students.
The ASUP said the strike is necessary at this time because the government has failed to fulfil the promises it made to its members.
The union lamented that the federal government and some state governments are yet to pay 10 months arrears of the new minimum wage owed to its members, and some state governments are yet to implement the new minimum wage.
It also alleged that government is yet to implement the Needs Assessment Report of 2014 in public Polytechnics and like institutions.
These are just few of a number of complaints raised by the union against the government.
Strike by workers in Nigeria has become the only antidote to workers’ panacea for them to claim what is their own. It is sad for the government to always allow workers to embark on strike before it finds solutions to their grievances.
Just recently, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) suspended their strike.
Meanwhile, Judiciary workers, under the aegis of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), have declared an indefinite nationwide strike to press home their demands for the financial autonomy of the judiciary also starting from today, Tuesday 6th of April.
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) is also on strike demanding better work facilities and the welfare of its members.
The picture of Nigerian education is daunting with many problems for the students and the ASUP strike is another time bomb that will distort the future of Nigerian polytechnic students.
To save the country from these and many attendant negative effects of these strikes, it is imperative that the government takes immediate steps to stop the strike.
Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim is the Moderator of the World Literary Forum for Peace and Human Rights, Bhutan