The newly-elected National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Prof. Victor Emmanuel Osodeke, has promised that the struggles of the union for better funding of the universities and treatment of his members will continue during his tenure.
He said urgent steps must be taken to redeem the education sector in the country. Osodeke, who is Professor of Soil Science at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Umuahia, Abia State, emerged as the new ASUU president at the weekend. He was the immediate National Vice President of the union. “We do things collectively in ASUU, so, it is not a one-man show, but Nigerians can be rest assured that we will not stop our agitation for a better funding of the sector and a better and more humane treatment of our members. The sector is in bad shape,” he said.
He regretted that Nigerian universities are no longer attracting foreign students and foreign lecturers as was the case in the past. He said: “Now, Nigerians are sending their children to schools in Ghana and Republic of Benin. Why should that be? In the 1970s to the 1980s, we had a number of foreign students and lecturers on our campuses, but now the reverse is the case. If we really want to match up with other nations who are making progress, we must give priority attention to education. No nation can develop more than its level of education. The struggles are continuing and we are not going to relent until our expectations are met. It is all for the development and greatness of our dear country,”
Osodeke took over from Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi who led ASUU during a period it engaged the government in a long battle for a better funding of the sector, welfare demands and the call for the abrogation of the contentious Integrated Payroll Personnel and Information System (IPPIS).
ASUU went on strike for nine months last year over the demands. IPPIS particularly has been a major source of faceoff between the government and university workers because of its alleged inconsistency and inability to meet some specific needs of the university system.