An education advocacy group, the Centre for Popular Education (CEPED), University of Ibadan branch, has criticised the Federal Government over the lingering crisis in public universities, particularly the ongoing strike by non-academic staff unions.
The group urged the government to honour agreements reached with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
In a statement issued on Friday by its convener, Mr. Sola Omoregie, CEPED commended the resilience of non-academic university workers involved in the nationwide strike over salaries, allowances and working conditions.
Omoregie said the unions were considering suspending the strike from Monday, May 11, following commitments made by the Federal Government through the Expanded Renegotiation Committee chaired by former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed.
According to him, the committee promised to conclude negotiations with the unions within two weeks.
He described the development as one that had generated “cautious optimism” for the restoration of academic and administrative activities in public universities affected by the strike since May 1.
“CEPED recognises that this breakthrough was not handed to the unions on a platter of gold.
“It is the product of the steadfastness of non-academic staff who endured the hardship of industrial action while refusing to back down on the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement on salaries, allowances and working conditions,” he said.
The group, however, warned the government against failing to fulfil its promises, noting that workers had repeatedly experienced unfulfilled agreements from successive administrations.
“CEPED welcomes the Federal Government’s commitment but also warns that Nigerian workers have been deceived too often with empty promises and timelines that are never honoured.
“It is in this light that we urge the Federal Government to speed up negotiations and honour its commitment within the agreed two-week window,” Omoregie added.
The group further lamented the impact of the strike on students and the university community, blaming the disruption on the government’s failure to address longstanding issues in the education sector.
“The continuous disruption of the university system has affected students and members of the Nigerian public university community.
“The government must take responsibility for the inconvenience caused and treat the renegotiation process with the urgency and seriousness it deserves,” the statement said.
CEPED also urged NASU and SSANU leaders to remain vigilant and prepared to resume industrial action if the government failed to honour its commitments.
The group maintained that the struggle by university workers was beyond salary demands and centred on the survival of public education in the country.
