Jos, Nigeria – E be like wahala don show for education sector again as Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bauchi Zone, don announce say dem ready to start another strike. Dem talk say Federal Government no gree settle di wahala wey dey disturb dem since.
Di six universities wey dey for dis Bauchi Zone na: Federal University, Kashere (Gombe State), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (Bauchi), University of Jos (Plateau State), Bauchi State University, Plateau State University (Bokkos), and Gombe State University. Na wetin happen for press conference on Saturday, November 15, wey Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Timothy Namo, run am.
Namo talk say e dey vex like pepper soup because dem don already give Federal Government warning and even do two-week strike notice. Yet, nothing don change! “Di paltry increase wey dem propose na just drop for ocean, far below wetin we expect,” he yarn. (I mean, how dem wan expect dem to chop small crumbs when dem sabi how far dem dey suffer?)
He no hide am when e accuse some government people say dem dey undermine di process wey suppose settle di issues. E even remind dem say di statistics go show how education dey waka for Nigeria: money wey dey come for education sector dey increase, yet na so di wahala dey continue. “No be say we no get money, na just bad priority for our leaders, dem dey misplace wetin dey important,” Namo conclude.
Namo also urge everybody wey fit help – traditional rulers, students, civil society groups, and even di National Assembly – make dem jump enter action to pressure di government. If dem no act fast, e fit lead to full-blown strike, wey go scatter academic activities for di six universities.
Di man drop some serious figures too. E talk say revenue allocation for states don rise from 3.92 trillion naira in 2022 to 5.81 trillion naira in 2024. Federal allocation no dey left behind too, from 3.42 trillion naira to 4.65 trillion naira in di same period. “So, wetin come be di problem? Na just lack of political will make education suffer,” Namo yan.
Dem don already rush release di notice for di possible strike, and e dey cause serious fear for anyone wey dey school. As dem dey report am, ASUU still dey demand plenty things like better salaries, improve working conditions, and payment for di money wey dey owe dem. But looks like dem no dey hear di cries.
Even di whole situation dey plus di issue wey dey surround di establishment of new universities, wey dem talk say e dey add to di wahala. Namo and his crew no wan just dey sit down dey wait; dem wan make sure say di government do something fast to avoid any problem for di universities.
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