Outcome of SUG Meeting with ASUU Committee, UNN
According to reports, the SUG UNN and ASUU UNN chapters were in a meeting yesterday, June 26, 2024. They discussed some pressing issues concerning the strike action and the education sector as a whole.
Comr. Edward Emmanuel C., SUG Director of Information, UNN, released a statement about the meeting.
It states:
We had a meeting with the Chairman of ASUU UNN chapter, and they registered their utmost disappointment with the current Nigerian Administration government led by President Ahmed Tinubu. They stated that the government has neglected the existence of their association, the education sector in general, and the welfare of public schools, especially UNN. They emphasized that their movement is not selfish, and that students often blame them for industrial actions without recognizing the federal government’s responsibility.
ASUU UNN called on SUG to sensitize students to be aware of the current situation in Nigeria. They highlighted the disparity in remuneration, where senators and special advisers receive substantial provisions, while professors are not paid a commensurate amount, often struggling to maintain themselves and their families. They warned that an indefinite strike action is imminent, citing Ghana’s example, which embarked on a nearly year-long strike to fix their system.
ASUU urged students to support their cause, recognizing that their salaries are inadequate for their upkeep, let alone their households’. The government owes ASUU three months’ salary and controls the management and disbursement of salaries, which ASUU is fighting to take charge of.
The purpose of the SUG UNN meeting with ASUU was to sensitize students to the upcoming protest and garner support for ASUU’s strike action. The SUG officials acknowledged that ASUU’s reasons for their actions are not selfish but aimed at the betterment of all. If the Nigerian government continues to neglect the education sector, it will have far-reaching consequences for the general public.