The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, yesterday held a rally in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, to protest the refusal of the Federal Government to fulfil the contentious 2009 agreement.
Led by the Chairman, Ekiti State University, EKSU, chapter of the union, Dr. Ayan Adeleke, the members declared that they will not resume work unless government implements the controversial agreement.
The members, carrying placards bearing “Don’t kill public for private universities to thrive,” “FG build our dilapidated structures,” “ASUU on strike to produce employable graduates”, marched to Erekesan market and the palace of the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe.
In his address, Adeleke said “We are on a peaceful rally to sensitise the public about our grievances against the Federal Government for not honouring the agreement it freely entered into in 2009.
“All we ask for is the implementation of the agreement. The infrastructure in our universities are bad.”
He maintained that ASUU was not fighting for salary increment, but the need for government to provide necessary infrastructure and enabling environment.
Continuing, Adeleke stated that “It is now a common experience that doctors forget surgical blades in the bowels of patients because they were not trained with adequate infrastructure.”
At the Ewi palace, the ASUU chairman said it was disheartening that of the N400bn agreed upon, only N100bn was made available.
He accused the Federal Government of engaging in blackmail and campaign of calumny against the union.
In his remark, Oba Adejugbe described the demands of the striking lecturers as reasonable, urging them to embrace peace.
He appealed to the Union and the FG to continue talks so as to save the future of Nigerian students.
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