Nigeria: How to End Government-ASUU Imbroglio - Adeyewa

Vice Chancellor, Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State, Prof. Debo Adeyewa, has advised the Federal Government to strategically liaise with authorities of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), corporate organisations, philanthropists, key stakeholders as well as parents to discuss and address the issue of funding the education sector in clear terms.

Adeyewa in a chat with The Guardian on the ongoing faceoff between the government and university teachers acknowledged that the problem is an age long dispute, and the parties involved must seek innovative way of resolving the issues.

Citing the negative implications of incessant strike on Nigerian graduates and even its certificates when presented at foreign institutions, the vice chancellor maintained that industrial action places a huge burden on the system and puts the country in bad light.

Adeyewa therefore challenged both the government and ASUU members to come to table with fair mindedness and seek redress on all the issues in contention.

He said, "For some of us who has been following issues for some years now, we saw this coming, because way back in the 1980s and 90s this struggle has been on, and the issues have remained the same. The problems of poor funding, infrastructure, allowances among others are really disturbing issues but how do we come out of it?

"Federal Government should look at the situation because they are real. However, there are think tanks in the university system. Some ASUU members are professors who are the doyen in the system; let them think of innovative ways of resolving these issues without implicating the system they are trying to protect. Yes they would complain of government's inattentiveness, but it has been on ground for years. For me, the way I look at it is complete autonomy that is one innovative way.

He continued, "I don't know whether my colleagues in ASUU will agree with me. We have been on this for a long time, how do we solve it. Let government speak out on its inability to manage public institutions effectively, even if it cannot fund 26 per cent, it should do at least 20 per cent, and put more attention on the sector. There should be more autonomy for the tertiary education system in Nigeria. And there is no complete autonomy without financial autonomy.

"Education is expensive anywhere in the world, and there is cost to everything. So when federal government has increased its funding to the university, then it takes care of indigent students who are brilliant, invite stakeholders and parents, state what they can do and how they want partners to come in.