Following the expiration of the three-week ultimatum earlier given by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the union said on Friday that it might embark on another strike action if its agreement with the federal government is not met.
In a statement signed by Lazarus Maigoro, Chairman of the union, University of Jos (UNIJOS) branch, it described the government as a serial promise-breaker, an unfaithful spouse unable to match their words with action adding that meetings with the federal government has failed to yield any result.
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“In the last one year, our union has been engaged with the federal government and its officials over demands which, if met, would lift the standard of our battered tertiary institutions, especially the universities.
“The undisputed crisis in our educational sector has met, as with other consequences, nothing but the same response. Our union states very clearly that we appreciate the interest demonstrated by the Nigerian Inter-religion Council to resolve the current impasse.
“However, it is not rational to continue to return to the same physician for the cure of an ailment iatrogenic ally introduced by him or one in which he has failed to cure or bring relief to his patient.
“From historical experience, we can conclude that NIRECs efforts with agents of government will be more prone to bringing further pain and anguish to the system.
“This will surely be the case if NIREC’s intervention ends with a palliative solution.
“This will lead to another phase of the same crisis. For the avoidance of doubt, our Union ASUU has had several meetings with the Minister of Labour, Officials of the Federal Ministry of Education, the NUC, and NITDA and, very recently with the Chief of Staff to the President.
“All these meetings have not calmed our members as the following issues remain unresolved.
“The recent comments by the spokesman to the President, Mr Femi Adesina that government will keep to the promises, rings very hollow to us.
“The government’s pattern of response to the issues is that of a serial promise-breaker. Like an unfaithful spouse, they are unable to match their words with action which is affecting the education sector negatively,” it stated.