The National Association of Seadogs, otherwise known as Pyrates Confraternity, says it is in support of the ongoing strike embarked upon by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
According to the Confraternity, the Nigerian Government’s disdain for education is the cause of the prolonged industrial action by the university lecturers.
The Capoon of the Confraternity, Mr. Abiola Owoaje in a statement titled ‘FG’s Hollow Hubris Prolonging ASUU Strike,’ described the government’s stand on the indefinite strike as “arrogant, ill-conceived, reckless, and insensitive to the plight of students, parents, the university system and Nigeria as a country”.
NAS, while accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of not being interested in ASUU’s demands, also noted that the government has demonstrated insincerity in its negotiation and agreement with the union over the years.
Owoaje said, “President Muhammadu Buhari’s aloofness to critical issues such as the ASUU strike is disappointing.”
“His ministers taking a cue from him have treated the issues raised by ASUU with levity and utmost contempt,” he added.
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The statement said, “The trio of Dr. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity; the junior Minister, Festus Keyamo, and their education counterpart, Adamu Adamu, have largely exhibited incompetence in their handling of the ASUU’s industrial action.
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“Bereft of any cogent reason not to implement the 2009 agreement entered into with ASUU, they have been unnecessarily confrontational, obfuscating facts and spreading outright falsehood in the attempt to break the psyche of the striking lecturers, force the union to abandon the principle of collective bargaining and ultimately incite the Nigerian people against ASUU.”
He stressed that the Nigerian government has over the years inadequately funded education and fallen short of the criteria of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
Calling on the government to make education a priority, Owoaje said, “The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) views the ongoing strike as detrimental to national interest and calls on the Federal Government to put its act together and take immediate steps to end the strike.
“We reject the explanation of paucity of funds being canvassed by the Federal Government as another subterfuge to shy away from its responsibility to ensure education is a priority.
“If education is made a priority as it should be, funds would certainly be made available for the sector like other funds used to fund the profligate excesses of its officials.”
He urged Buhari’s administration to work with the National Assembly to ensure that special funds are provided for ASUU, adding that to resolve the impasse as soon as possible, funds from the Service Wide Vote (SWV) could be deployed to fund public universities.
Owoaje, therefore, tasked the government to demonstrate sincerity in plugging all revenue leakages and implore President Buhari to convene a national summit on education to salvage tertiary education.
“More so, the Federal Government should plug all revenue leakages to have more funds to take care of pressing developmental needs. The funds stolen by the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris for which he now seeks plea bargain would have been available to meet part of ASUU demands if the government had been sincere with plugging all revenue leakages in Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDA).
“In the nine months remaining of his tenure as President, it is incumbent on President Buhari to seize the opportunity of the ASUU strike to end the constant industrial action in the university and other tertiary institutions.
“He should convene a national education summit with special focus on tertiary education. The summit should involve all stakeholders in the tertiary education sector with significant contributions from the private and voluntary sectors.
“President Buhari must make it a conscious decision to leave a lasting legacy in the education sector. Solving the misery of public universities once and for all is a veritable step towards leaving a positive legacy,” he said.
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