The Academic Staff Union of the Nigerian Universities (ASUU) has yesterday chides the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajuba, that it is him that needs to resign and go back to the farm instead. The ASUU Chairman, University of Ibadan Chapter, Prof. Ayo Akinwole stated this in a statement while reacting to the Minister's remarks on criticizing the ASUU for being too adamant in negotiation with the government. The Minister had on Monday while attending the interview advised ASUU that instead of being unyielding to their employer's terms and condition of service, he advised them to resign and go back to farm instead as the country at this time need more farmers than professors.
The Minister said, “Government is actually not holding anyone to ransom. It says ‘this is how I want to pay and it has to be through IPPIS (Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System)’ you can leave the employment. You can opt-out of it and say ‘I no longer want to teach’. You can find other professions. What we need now are probably more farmers.
He added, “You cannot keep forcing your employer and tell him, ‘I will like you to pay me my money through my pillow. Or, ‘I will like you to pay it through this mailbox’. ASUU has a lot of complaints and dissipation around. However, Akinyole described the Minister's remark as being unfamiliar with the Academic terrain and the lack of priority the government has placed on education.
He continued, “We are on a just fight to ensure that those in public offices become responsive and responsible to the masses they swore to serve. They must fund public education. We have been on the same salary since 2009. That is no longer sustainable.
“The universities are being run with personal sweat of lecturers while politicians siphon money for personal aggrandizement. We cannot accept the IPPIS that is against the laws of the land and which fails to recognize the uniqueness of the academic profession and culture.
ASUU had on March 23 begun an indefinite strike in protest of the Federal Government directive compelling them to join the Integrated Personnel Payroll System (IPPIS).
ASUU despite Federal Government directive that all schools should resume has remained adamant saying until the government cave to its demand.
It stated, “You can’t expect people to go back to their offices on an empty stomach. You don’t expect my members to suspend this action when their demands have not been met. It is a very clear decision that anybody would make in this circumstance.”
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