Against expectations that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will call off its almost three months old industrial action this week, the aggrieved body has declared its resolution to continue with the strike saying it never gave the impression that its members would return to class without the government meeting its demands as stated in the 2009 agreement it had with the Federal Government.
ASUU also accused the Executive Secretary of the National University Commission, Professor Julius Okojie, for the misfortune that has hit Nigerian universities as well as the rot in the system. According to them, Okojie has never at any time insisted on standard university practice as is done in other countries.
“ASUU cannot be blamed for NUC ‘magomago’ accreditations. Rather than blaming the Union, Okojie should take full responsibility for all the fraudulent deeds in the NUC, including the work and eat accreditations.
“The NUC knows the kind of academics they select for their ignoble exercises. These are cronnies of the big man in the NUC. They can never say no to his biddings.
“Nigerians should be proud of ASUU in it’s efforts at repositioning public universities in the country. One of these major efforts is the NEEDS Assessment Document,” a statement released by Olusegun Ajiboye, the chairman of University of Ibadan branch of ASUU on behalf of the national body said.
“This was a product of a rigorous academic exercise carried out by dependable and credible members of our Union. Unlike the numerous faulty accreditation reports which had given these universities clean bill of health, the NEEDS Assessment Report stands out as a classical document of reference detailing the rot and decay in public universities in Nigeria.
“All well meaning Nigerians can see the contrast between okojie’s ‘packaged accreditation reports’ and a credible job done by ASUU.
“It has become very clear from the Needs Assessment that Okojie and his cohort of accreditors have fooled this country for too long. Enough they say is enough. Time is now for the government to beam a searchlight on the activities of the NUC.
“The Education Committees in both the Senate and House of Representatives have an arduous task to do here. Nigerians are calling for dismantling of an omnibus body that has done the country more harm than good. NUC must go.
“Professor Julius Okojie cannot absolve himself from the rot in the university system by regulating quantity instead of ensuring quality delivery, the statement titled: ‘Where Okojie Got It Wrong,’ further stressed.
The ASUU reiterated that for the university system to compete favourably with others across the world, the NUC must be overhauled just as it also urged the National Assembly to focus its oversight on activities within the Commission.
The statement said the recent NEEDS assessment report on universities reflected how much the Commission had failed as an effective regulator adding that most of the accreditation to schools in the country are fraught with illegality.
The statement said but for the insanity in the country, Prof. Okojie should have been shown the way out of his current seat or resigned honourably since he had been indicted by the report of the NEEDS assessment report.
ASUU said Okojie’s recent allegation that the Union is responsible for the rot in the university system was careless as the rot can only be traced to the NUC as Okojie had several times compromised standards.
