The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the ruling class, particularly the political elites of being united against the masses in their quest for achieving selfish interest.
The Union also described as ‘shameful’, the situation in which the country cannot refine enough fuel for domestic consumption, despite President Muhammadu Buhari doubling as the Minister of Petroleum.
Chairman, ASUU, University of Ibadan, Dr Deji Omole, made the disclosures when he featured as guest of the month at the Oyo State Correspondents’ Chapel of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council.
According to Dr. Omole, evidences have shown that neither the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) nor the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has the solution to the problems confronting ordinary Nigerians, adding that Nigerians appeared to have been defrauded by the government when Buhari said he would want to oversee the Ministry of Petroleum by himself to get the desired change.
He said: “You cannot just imagine an oil-producing nation facing this type of crisis when we all know that the basic principle of oil refinery is cracking, which is one of the simplest process in organic chemistry, that a nation that is blessed with crude oil cannot refine for local consumption, not to talk of export.
“Now, we rely solely on exportation. This will continue to bring in many other things until we have leaders that believe in Nigeria. Our leaders don’t believe in Nigeria and that is the problem we have. I don’t believe in blaming other people for our woes.
“Our leaders don’t believe in Nigeria and when you don’t believe, you cannot genuinely address the issues at hand. This is what is currently happening and this will not give us a desired development we need as a country. That is why when they fall sick, they travelled abroad. When they steal our money, they take it abroad. If they believe in this country, they will remain here, invest here and solve our problems.”
Omole also described as misdirected aggression the disruption of academic activities in Nigerian universities by non-teaching staff on the Earned Academic Allowances.
Recall that, the Federal government recently disbursed N18.3billion to pay for earned academic allowances of 22 universities and N4.6billion was allocated to non-teaching staff in 24 universities.
The non-teaching staff, which comprises Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities(NASU), and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), have gone on strike and threatened not to resume until the disparity is addressed.
But Omole explained that the earned academic allowances were calculated based on the responsibilities being carried out by each academic staff, which included supervision of doctoral students, saying the non-teaching staff should also calculate their own earned allowances and send to the government.
He stated that the N4.6billion given to the non-teaching staff was part of the money meant for ASUU, adding that the Federal Government “is still owing ASUU” based on the deduction made for non-teaching staff.
The ASUU boss who lashed out at the APC-led Federal government said nothing would change in the education and health sectors since the President believes his children can school and graduate abroad while he can access quality health care in the United Kingdom.
While alleging that the Buhari government is not serious about fighting corruption, the ASUU chairman challenged the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission (EFCC) to make public outcome on the petition the union submitted to it on the corruption at the University of Ilorin.
According to Omole, nearly 75 per cent of Nigeria-trained qualified doctors have left the country while those at home are planning to leave owing to the poor working conditions and bad welfare schemes.
“It is unfortunate that those leading this country run abroad for health, education and even save stolen funds abroad. They only preside over a country they do not believe in.”
