Varsity Teachers In Nigeria Threaten Govt Over Planned Reopening Of Institutions

Ahead of the plan of the Nigerian Government to reopen universities following the relaxing of COVID-19 lockdown in the country, University teachers, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have warned against such plan.
The lecturers thus warned the Federal Government to be ready for any possible negativity if it goes ahead to reopen the universities before certain conditions bothering on issues it had with the varsities are met.

Addressing a press conference, Monday at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, the union maintained that reopening of tertiary institutions without taking concrete steps to address issues within the universities would be suicidal.
Reading the text of the conference, Professor Olusiji Sowande, who is the Coordinator of Lagos Zone of the union, maintained that it was not enough to have the students back on campuses but that the atmosphere and conditions must also be right.
According to the union, hostel accommodation is inadequate, no facility on the ground to carry out physical distancing in large and crowded classes, adding that water and electricity supply was not reliable in the universities.

The union maintained that years of neglect of both the education and health sectors in the country had resulted in inadequate infrastructure and lack of well equipped diagnostic, testing, treatment, and research laboratories in both sectors.
The union said: “The response of the public universities to the call by the National University Commission (NUC) for their readiness to reopen indicated that public universities are not ready. 
“Presently, hostel accommodations are inadequate, no facility on the ground to carry out physical in large and crowded classes, water and electricity supply are not reliable, etc. 

“Reopening tertiary institutions without taking concrete steps to address these issues would be suicidal. 
“While the government made arrangements for special bailout funds for airline operators and other private entities, no such arrangement was made for public universities. Therefore, the government should be ready to take responsibility for any possible negative consequences after the reopening of universities.”

On the controversial payment of the lecturers through what is known as Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) in Nigeria, the union said that its software, University Transparency, and Accountability Solution, was ready, adding that its efficacy had been demonstrated to the education Ministry and National University Commission.

The union said it was ready to present the UTAS to appropriate authorities for further validation, adding that it recognizes all agreements entered into between the government and university-based unions.
It also called on the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, to facilitate a physical meeting where the software and other issues would be sorted out.