We’ll resist FG’s plan to cripple public varsities – ASUU

By Agboola Bayo
Ibadan

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday vowed to resist an alleged attempt by the federal government to cripple public universities in the country.
Chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter of ASUU, Dr. Deji Omole, who said this in Ibadan, while speaking with journalists, declared that the alleged ploy was to increase private universities’ patronage in the state.

Omole, who raised the alarm in Ibadan during a chat with newsmen on the ongoing warning strike at the University of Ibadan, pointed out that the agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration “is to purposely underfund public universities so as to assist private institutions.”
“ASUU will continue to fight for qualitative education funding and delivery, as well as enhanced welfare for the underpaid academic staff in Nigeria public universities,” he said.
The ASUU chairman noted that there was the need for public funds to be spent on public goods and education, saying “ASUU will continue to resist all attempts to privatise public education as education remains a tool for liberation of the masses.”

Speaking further, the ASUU chairman said the recent fractional salary of its members and reduction in personnel cost to public universities was part of the moves by the federal government to cripple public universities in the nation.
“The President Buhari-led administration is reducing personnel grants of public universities with a view to creating crisis for benefit of their private university proprietor-friends to benefit.”
He urged parents and students to rise and call the Buhari-led administration to order to fund education as university system might not escape from another indefinite strike.

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