The zonal Coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Calabar zone and Senior lecturer in the department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Dr. Aniekan Brown has described the failure of the Federal government to keep to the agreement it entered with the union over the years as a case of social injustice.
Brown made the assertion during an interview in Uyo, Akwa
Ibom State capital, he stressed that it was even most unfair when the Federal
government give Nigerians the impression that the union was the cause of the
prolonged strike, whereas it has not been straightforward in its actions
towards resolving the problem.
He expressed disappointment that the same government that
says that it could not borrow N1.1trillion to end the lingering strike has been
borrowing for other things that matters to them, the political class.
His words: “And if the government says it cannot borrow
N1.1trillion for education, yet that government is borrowing for other things,
it is a pointer to where the interest of such a government lies.
“It means some of them are seeing Education as a case of
expenditure when essentially Education is a case of investing in the future of
the country. Since 2017 and 2018 government has been giving itself timelines.
But when it matters to them they would quickly do something.
”And because their children are not in Universities here
this doesn’t concern them. If it were the Aviation industry that concerns them
they would have solved it. Now, I see that as a case of social injustice, and
abuse of social contract.
“Nigeria government is borrowing for so many things. It was
easy for them to release N4.6trillion for the so-called fuel subsidy. It came
around with a Supplementary Appropriation Bill of 4.6trillion naira for the
fuel subsidy in three days, but we are still buying fuel excess of the
benchmark price.
“And this gives you a picture of subterfuge. My union is
committed to the resolution of this problem that is why we are always open to
discussions”
On the N150billion revitalization fund the Federal
government said it would to inject into 2023 budget, he responded, “I will
encourage journalists to ask the Minister for Education how many times they had
promised to injecting something in another years budget and if they had done
it? That is what they always say, at the end they won’t do it”
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