By Ahmad Deedat Zakari
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, said the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are unrealistic, and the Federal Government cannot be blackmailed into borrowing money to end the strike.
Keyamo made the statement on Friday, August 5, 2022, while speaking on Channels Television Politics Today.
“Should we go and borrow to pay N1.2 trillion yearly?
“You cannot allow one sector of the economy to hold you by the jugular and then blackmail you to go and borrow N1.2 trillion for overheads when our total income would be about N6.1 trillion. And you have roads to build, health centres to build, other sectors to take care of.” He stated
The Minister then pleaded with parents to beg ASUU to return to the classroom.
“Like the President said the other time, those who know them appeal to their sense of patriotism,” Keyamo said.
“Let them go back to classes. They are not the only ones in Nigeria. They are not the only ones feeding from the federal purse. The nation cannot grind to a halt because we want to take care of the demands of ASUU.” He added
ASUU embarked on strike on February 14, 2022, and are seeking improved condition of service and revitalization of public universities amidst other demands.
However, the Buhari-led Federal Government said it does not have the fund to attend to ASUU’s N1.1 trillion demand due to low oil prices. The impasse has shut down government-owned universities across the country.
