The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to embrace dialogue rather than intimidation in resolving its ongoing dispute with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Speaking in an interview with Anchor News Online, the NLC’s Assistant General Secretary, Comrade Chris Onyeka, attributed the current industrial action to the government’s persistent failure to honour agreements it had freely entered into with the union.
“Disputes should not be resolved through threats,” Onyeka said. “The Federal Government willingly reached and signed agreements with ASUU, yet has failed to implement them — some dating back more than a decade.”
He stressed that university lecturers were left with no choice but to embark on strike, adding that it would be unrealistic to expect quality education under poor working and living conditions.
“Professors earn less than ₦500,000 monthly. You cannot expect a lecturer burdened by hardship to perform optimally. The alternative would have been to continue working in poverty and indignity,” he said.
Onyeka also criticised the government’s alleged inconsistency in handling wage payments, accusing it of paying individuals who contribute little or nothing while neglecting those who play vital roles in national development.
The labour leader disclosed that the NLC has scheduled a meeting for next Monday to deliberate on possible strategies if the government fails to take decisive and positive action.
“We are ready to bear the brunt if that’s what it takes to achieve results. Most of the students suffering from this situation are our own children. The children of politicians either attend private universities or study abroad.
“Progress is a tree that must be shaken for the fruits to fall,” Onyeka said.
