The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) has blamed the Federal Government for the prolonged Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.
The leader of the association, Abiola Owoaje, made this known in a statement on Sunday titled, “FG’s hollow hubris prolonging ASUU strike.”
Owoaje said the Buhari government’s lack of interest in education was the reason for the lingering ASUU strike, adding that it had demonstrated insincerity in its talks with ASUU over the years.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to make education a priority, saying that the association rejects the excuse of the paucity of funds being canvassed by the government.
The statement read in part: “The stand of the Federal Government on the ASUU strike is ill-conceived, reckless, and insensitive to the plight of students, parents, the university system, and Nigeria as a country.
“President Muhammadu Buhari’s aloofness on critical issues such as the ASUU strike is disappointing. His ministers, taking a cue from him, have treated the issues raised by ASUU with levity and utmost contempt.
“The trio of Dr Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, the junior Minister, Festus Keyamo and their education counterpart, Adama Adamu, have largely exhibited incompetence in their handling of the ASUU’s industrial action.
“Bereft of any cogent reason not to implement the 2009 agreement entered into with ASUU, they have been unnecessarily confrontational, obfuscating facts and spreading outright falsehood in the attempt to break the psyche of the striking lecturers, force the union to abandon the principle of collective bargaining and ultimately incite the Nigerian people against ASUU.
“The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) views the ongoing strike as detrimental to national interest and calls on the Federal Government to put its act together and take immediate steps to end the strike.
“We reject the explanation of paucity of funds being canvassed by the Federal Government as another subterfuge to shy away from its responsibility to ensure education is a priority. If education is made a priority as it should be, funds would certainly be made available for the sector like other funds used to fund the profligate excesses of its officials.”
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