As the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU strike lingers, the legislature and the judiciary have been blamed for remaining indifferent in the face of the ASUU-Federal Government face-off that has kept students of Federal Universities at home for over five months now.
On Tuesday, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC commenced a two-day protest in solidarity with the ASUU in their plight, despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s two-week ultimatum to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to resolve the ASUU-FG situation within two weeks.
Reacting to the development in a chat with TNC correspondent in Awka, a renowned Professor of Political Science, Professor Obiekwe Nwanolue regretted that the Nigerian education system is almost at the point of comatose due to the lack of attention by the various arms of government.
Nwanolue who described education as a key pillar in any economy, lamented that the country’s leaders have paid deaf ears to the demands of the sector, hence the prolonged ASUU strike.
“It is funny how the nation’s education sector has nosedived to a point of comatose. This is one of the greatest industry any progressive country can boast of.
“In Nigeria, we are completely backward, as far as education is concerned. It is very unfortunate.
“I am surprised that the National Assembly, the so-called distinguished senators, are there and our educational system is dying, what have they done?
“They are only interested in their jumbo allowances which must come uninterruptedly at the end of every month.
“Look at ASUU who produce Senators, House of Reps members, even the President, the Supreme Court judges, the Ministers, the governors and the state assembly members, they are languishing in penury while these people are enjoying.
“What is actually wrong with this country?” he queried.
The University don urged President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the Minister of Education to ensure that his directive to him to resolve the ASUU-FG situation within two weeks, is carried out immediately.
Prof Nwanolue further advocated massive cut-down on the cost of governance, to mobilize enough resources to given priority attention to the Nigerian Education, noting that what ASUU is demanding is not too much.
“I call on the President to ensure that the order he gave to the Minister of Education is carried out to the letter and not just that but also to do that immediately.
“I am calling on the political big wigs to throw their weight behind ASUU to ensure that government harkens to their demands.
“What ASUU is demanding is not too much compared to what is going on in this country.
“A lot of frivolous expenditures that can be removed to give priority attention to strategic sectors such as education, still abound and that is what we are begging government,” he said.
Nwanolue who also spoke on plans to privatize the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), urged the Federal Government not to take the measure as it will cause untold hardship for the teeming masses in the country.
According to him, what the government needs to is to get the refineries in the country working.
“The Federal Government should put the interest of the masses first by ensuring that all the refineries in Nigeria are made functional.
“It is a pity that a country that pride itself as the giant of Africa, does not have one single functional refinery.
“What a pitiable situation,” he said.
The erudite scholar further called on the Federal Government to deprivatize the Power Sector as leaving it in the hands of private individuals other than the Government, creates room for unregulated and high tariffs for the masses.
He also appealed to the Federal Government to lower tariff on imported goods and charged the Nigerian Ports Authority to tamper justice with mercy in their exorbitant charges on imported items and to ensure maximum security of goods and services, therein.
“The Federal Government is also advised to have a rethink in its plan to ban commercial motorcycles (Ọkada) in the country, especially without providing an alternative means of livelihood for them riders.
“This ploy seems to be targeted at a certain group and will increase unemployment and criminalities in the country.
“Motorcycles are not the brain behind unbearable terrorist activities in Nigeria.
“The Federal Government knows what to do and had not done it to have insecurity reduced to the barest minimum,” he said.
