Group throws weight behind ASUU, other striking workers; says only mass action can defeat FG’s attacks on public education

Workers and Youth Solidarity Network (WYSN) has given its full support to the striking unions in the country’s tertiary institutions. These Unions are: Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institution (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

WYSN Secretary, Dammy Owot, in a statement dated May 10, 2022, maintained that the group vehemently condemned the federal government’s ‘no work, no pay’ policy, claiming that while ASUU members have not received salary for the past three months, while the erstwhile Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, allegedly spent N100m on the All Progressives Congress Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms.

The statement reads: “Workers and Youth Solidarity Network condemns the ‘No work, no pay’ policy of the Federal Government against workers of federal universities.

“The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was the first to commence a four-week strike, after which it declared another eight-week strike. Now, the union has been forced to declare another twelve weeks strike because of the government’s refusal to implement their just demands. Other unions have also launched separate industrial actions to press home their demands for better working conditions for their members, University autonomy and increased funding for public universities.

“To us in the WYSN, the ‘No work, no pay’ policy is an attempt to intimidate the striking workers. ASUU members haven’t received salary for three months now in the FG’s attempt to force them back to work.

“At the same time, the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, has spent N100m on an All Progressives Congress Presidential Expression of Interest And Nomination forms!

“Despite the crisis in the Universities at the moment, the wives of Vice-Chancellors across Nigerian universities were set to travel to Istanbul, Turkey, for a five-day “leadership course”! The plans were cancelled due to public condemnation.

“The media of the ruling elite are all over the place saying that the ASUU strike hurts the students. It’s clear that the children of the poor people are the ones that attend public schools. On the other hand, the children of ruling elites are graduating in different international Universities across developed countries. And the FG is the one to blame for this stalemate. Such hypocrisy!

“Nigeria’s annual budget for education is N1.29 trillion, or 7.9 per cent. Though this figure represents an increase compared to last years,’ it is still far too low. UNESCO, for example, recommends 26 per cent of the budget to be allocated for education.

“We salute the University of Benin students for their courage to hold a protest for two days. Also some students of University of Lagos protested two days ago.  We also extend our solidarity to Obafemi Awolowo University Students for their plan for protest actions. We urge all other university students across Nigeria to mobilise and organise a series of political actions to compel the government to meet ASUU, SSANU, NASU and NAAT demands so that schools can be reopened.

“We call on the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to declare total support for ASUU strike and break away from dilly-dallying with a regime that doesn’t care for education.

“We call for unity of staff unions, students, workers and communities to mobilise for mass actions to force the government to back down and meet demands of University Unions.”