ASUU President Tackles Festus Keyamo Over Comment On Strike

The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Emmanuel Osodeke, has tackled the Minister of Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, over his comment on the ongoing strike.

Naija News earlier reported that Keyamo during an interview on Channels TV on Friday accused ASUU of being unrealistic with their demands.

He stated that the government will not be blackmailed by ASUU to borrow money to pay the striking members of ASUU amidst cash shortages, when other sectors of the economy also need attention.

According to Keyamo, ASUU should be begged to shelve their strike so the members can return to work, students can resume studies and the nation’s public universities can be re-opened.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television on Monday, Osodeke expressed disappointment at the comments made by the minister on the union’s ongoing strike.

Osodeke said that the union embarked on the strike over the imminent collapse of Nigerian public universities and not over the welfare of lecturers.

The ASUU President added that the condition of the universities has worsened to the extent that foreign students had stop coming to Nigerian universities.

He said: “For us as a union, we are not talking about ASUU. We are talking about the Nigerian university system that has virtually collapsed in such a way that you don’t see students from all over the world coming to Nigerian universities as students.

“You don’t see lecturers from all over the world coming to Nigeria to teach, while Nigerian lecturers and students are all moving out of the country. That is why we are on strike. It is not about our welfare; it is about this system.

“Are we proud of this system? Will Keyamo, who had spoken, allow his children to school in Nigerian universities? That is the funny thing I saw when he was speaking and for me, why I felt so disappointed is this is someone, before he joined these partisan politics, he was one of those on the streets.”