The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has flayed the Federal Government over the recent increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, otherwise known as petrol as well as the electricity tariff.
The Akure zone of ASUU, which frowned over the development after its zonal meeting at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, also condemned the proposed plans to re-open schools.
According to the Union during a press briefing over the weekend, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC has not been forthcoming over the anti-masses policies of the federal government.
The zonal coordinator of the Akure zone of the Union, Prof Olu Olufayo who expressed disappointment over the silence of NLC, emphasized that plans to reopen schools in the country, particularly tertiary institutions was an invitation to another wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
“Other countries such as the United States and Germany with better health facilities have had to hurriedly shut down schools after reopening and it is for this reason, ASUU feels Nigeria should learn from history.
“Nothing should stop the monitoring agencies from embarking on the kind of close marking that was given to the aviation industries, to our schools to ensure the safety of our staff and students.”
Olufayo said the various increases in tariff will no doubt add to the plight of ordinary Nigerians who are still trying to grapple with the challenges of the pandemic.
The Zonal Coordinator further stated that ASUU did not embark on industrial action as a result of the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information, IPPIS, but because of “the sorry state of our universities which the government miraculously wants to turn first-class overnight.”