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| Prof Egya |
ASUU justified to go on strike two or
more times in a year – Prof Egya
more times in a year – Prof Egya
By Uji Abdullahi Iliyasu
Abuja
A Professor of African Literature and Cultural Studies at Ibrahim Babangida
University, Lapai (IBBUL), Niger state, Emman Sule Egya, has said that Nigeria’s
budget allocation to education is too poor, so lecturers are not to blame if
ASUU goes on strike two or three times
in a year to draw government’s attention to education, which is a vehicle of
societal transformation.
University, Lapai (IBBUL), Niger state, Emman Sule Egya, has said that Nigeria’s
budget allocation to education is too poor, so lecturers are not to blame if
ASUU goes on strike two or three times
in a year to draw government’s attention to education, which is a vehicle of
societal transformation.
In a telephone conversation with
Blueprint Newspapers Tuesday, Egya, the author of Sterile Sky
said paying lip-service to education is the cause of ASUU’s struggles.
Blueprint Newspapers Tuesday, Egya, the author of Sterile Sky
said paying lip-service to education is the cause of ASUU’s struggles.
“ASUU has its own problem but the
Buhari government is emasculating the university, is drying the university
system rather than nourishing it. What I mean is that instead of giving more
money to universities, he believes that universities have more money than they
should have, and he wants to take the money away,” Egya said.
Buhari government is emasculating the university, is drying the university
system rather than nourishing it. What I mean is that instead of giving more
money to universities, he believes that universities have more money than they
should have, and he wants to take the money away,” Egya said.
He argues that Nigerian universities
are not only highly localised but provincial and state universities are
operating in a very ridiculous level by bringing indigenes that are not
qualified to operate in them.
are not only highly localised but provincial and state universities are
operating in a very ridiculous level by bringing indigenes that are not
qualified to operate in them.
“Even the federal universities are
suffering from what they called quota system or federal character or
whatever. For someone to go to a federal
university, they have to look at indigeneship and catchment area. Until we are
able to deal with these issues we cannot have foreign lecturers and students
here.”
suffering from what they called quota system or federal character or
whatever. For someone to go to a federal
university, they have to look at indigeneship and catchment area. Until we are
able to deal with these issues we cannot have foreign lecturers and students
here.”
On the Integrated Payroll and
Personnel Information System (IPPIS), he said that the platform is not suitable
for academic community but can work with the civil service to check corruption.
Personnel Information System (IPPIS), he said that the platform is not suitable
for academic community but can work with the civil service to check corruption.
“The problem is that IPPIS does not capture
the reality in the university system. I think the most important aspect that is
contentious now is the issue of visiting lectureship.
the reality in the university system. I think the most important aspect that is
contentious now is the issue of visiting lectureship.
“As a professor, you are entitled to
visit two other universities to teach. IPPIS does not capture that. But it
captures the sabbatical.
visit two other universities to teach. IPPIS does not capture that. But it
captures the sabbatical.
“It also restricts the management
from adjunct professorship. There are adjunct professors a university can pick
for say three months, six months or twelve months. All this are not captured,
so this is the main problem with ASUU.
from adjunct professorship. There are adjunct professors a university can pick
for say three months, six months or twelve months. All this are not captured,
so this is the main problem with ASUU.
“ASUU has produced a template that
will capture all these peculiarities but the federal government is not
interested in it.
will capture all these peculiarities but the federal government is not
interested in it.
“But the way I see it, the federal
government is right to say they are fighting corruption because I can confirm
that there are a lot of corruption in
the universities. Most of the managements of universities are corrupt. I
believe that half of the university problems are caused by vice chancellors.
government is right to say they are fighting corruption because I can confirm
that there are a lot of corruption in
the universities. Most of the managements of universities are corrupt. I
believe that half of the university problems are caused by vice chancellors.
“We have corrupt vice chancellors
who use monies that they shouldn’t touch; they create a lot of expenses and all
of that.”
who use monies that they shouldn’t touch; they create a lot of expenses and all
of that.”
He however said that IPPIS shouldn’t be one instrument for
fighting corruption, stressing that it could be used to fight corruption in the
civil service but not in the academia because of its special case, and asked
the federal government to devise alternative means of fighting corruption in
universities instead of dissipating energy on IPPIS.
fighting corruption, stressing that it could be used to fight corruption in the
civil service but not in the academia because of its special case, and asked
the federal government to devise alternative means of fighting corruption in
universities instead of dissipating energy on IPPIS.
“It (FG) has NUC and other means to
fight corruption in the universities, which must not necessarily be through
IPPIS. This is the only way federal government can reconcile with ASUU.”
fight corruption in the universities, which must not necessarily be through
IPPIS. This is the only way federal government can reconcile with ASUU.”