Dr.
Doyin Okupe, the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck
Jonathan has blasted the Academic Union of Universities (ASUU) for its
refusal to call off the ongoing strike
Okupe
said: “The negative disposition of the ASUU leadership is unarguably a
pre-conceived and calculated treacherous plot pointedly intended to
undermine the Presidency and subvert the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“This
is clearly a hallmark of a leadership that is determined to employ
subterfuge in an attempt to hold government, students and their parents
and other stakeholders to ransom in a reckless and irresponsible display
of insensitivity, lawlessness and absolute lack of patriotism and even
the fear of God.
“Unfortunately,
all this is perpetuated using unsuspecting but otherwise loyal,
patriotic and responsible members of ASUU whose families are also sad
victims of this reprehensible and callous attitude of their leadership.
“From
all indications therefore and other information available to
government, it has become obvious that this is no longer an altruistic
strike borne out of good intentions and aimed at improving the welfare
of students and staff of the universities and the standard of our
educational institutions.
“Rather, it is an evil programme motivated by selfish political interests and motivations within the polity”.
The
government lamented what it described as ASUU’s intransigence despite
the various concessions made to the lecturers, stressing that the
teachers have pushed the government to the wall.
“Given
the fact that government had reached agreement with ASUU to make
available N100 billion for the provision of infrastructure on campuses
of 61 universities covered in the needs assessment of universities, with
a further commitment of another N200 billion over the next two years,
and N40 billion of the N90 billion Earned Allowances demanded by the
lecturers one would have expected them to reconsider their stand.
“This
was despite the fact that the ASUU leadership in the meeting with
President Jonathan failed curiously to articulate the basis of the
calculation of the demanded N90 billion earned allowance, which has been
on the table since 2009.
“It
becomes crystal clear therefore that the Federal Government has shown
good faith and commendable commitment by acceding to most of the demands
of ASUU.
“This
ordinarily ought to be a thing of pride and an outstanding achievement
to the ASUU having been able to secure these unprecedented concessions
as a direct benefit of the prolonged and painful five month strike.
“Given
this dangerous and invidious tendency no right thinking government
sworn to protect the welfare of its citizens will fold its arms and
watch the situation deteriorate any further.
“History
has shown that when governments worldwide are pushed to the wall, they
take whatever lawful steps that are necessary to protect the interests
of its people and the state over which they govern.
“This
is why we make bold to state that there is absolutely nothing
dictatorial, draconian or undemocratic in the order by the Federal
Government for striking lecturers to return to work or face dismissal.
“You
may wish to recall that on the 5th of August 1981, Ronald Reagan then
American President sacked 11, 345 air traffic controllers after a
two-day strike. Reagan took the decision after the striking workers
turned down an 11 percent wage increase he had offered them”.
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