The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has insisted that the ongoing academic strike in the nation's universities will continue until the Federal Government meets the union's demands.The Coordinator of the Ibadan Zone of the union, Dr Adesola Nassir stated this at a news conference at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Wednesday.
``We as members of the ASUU Ibadan Zone, comprising University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Lagos State University, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and Tai Solarin University of Education, have resolved to remain on strike.
This we are doing along with our other colleagues nationwide, for as long as it takes the government to be faithful to the implementation of the agreement and commence the process of renegotiating the 2009 agreement.
This is not meant to inflict undue pains on our students, which also includes our members, wives and children, parents and other primary interests.
We cannot continue to relegate the education of our children by devoting a paltry 8.5 per cent of our budget even when most African countries spend about 20 per cent on the average.
We therefore call on parents, students, progressive organisations and all other stakeholders to join our union in the struggle to free our universities and society from the claws of mis-governance, neglect and outright repression,’’ he said.
He said that the government must invest heavily in education if it truly desired a country that would be respected among the comity of nations.
Mrs Oluwakemi Fapojuwo of the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, added that, ``What we are saying is that government must show enough commitment about this our system to a substantial level so as to turn around the universities".
