The newly-elected National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, has said the struggles of the union for better funding of the sector and treatment of his members will continue during his tenure. Osodeke, who spoke in a telephone chat with our correspondent on Sunday after his election as the new leader of the union, said urgent steps must be taken to redeem the education sector in the country.

The Professor of Soil Science at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, was the immediate National Vice President of the union. “We do things collectively in ASUU, so, it is not a one-man show, but Nigerians can be rest assured that we will not stop our agitation for a better funding of the sector and a better and more humane treatment of our members. “The sector is in bad shape. It is not attracting foreign students and foreign lecturers like we used to have in those days.

Now, Nigerians are sending their children to schools in Ghana and Republic of Benin. Why should that be? “In the 1970s to the 1980s, we had a number of foreign students and lecturers on our campuses, but now the reverse is the case. If we really want to match up with other nations who are making progress, we must give priority attention to education. No nation can develop more than its level of education. “The struggles are continuing and we are not going to relent until our expectations are met. It is all for the development and greatness of our dear country, “he said.

Osodeke took over from Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi who led ASUU during a period it engaged the government in a long battle for a better funding of the sector, welfare demands and the call for the abrogation of the contentious Integrated Payroll Personnel and Information System, IPPIS. ASUU went on strike for nine months last year over the demands. IPPIS particularly has been a major source of faceoff between the government and university workers because of its alleged inconsistency and inability to meet some specific needs of the university system.

Source: Vanguard News Nigeria