SOLIDARITY
MESSAGE BY COMR. NDA-UMAR USMAN
(FORMER
SECRETARY GENERAL, ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF POLYTECHNICS, ASUP)
I
bring you fraternal greetings and solidarity on this all important symposium
jointly organized by ERC and ASUU, UniAbuja Chapter. Please accept my unreserved
apology for not making it to the occasion due to conflicting engagement of
equal importance. Permit me to put on record that the union I belong to, ASUP,
has been in the forefront fighting for the betterment of its members and
repositioning of Polytechnic education in Nigeria.
The above led to the longest
protracted strike that took better part of the year 2014. Though regrettable,
we only responded to the language government understood. Today the union is
vindicated. When the then government was singing no money to heed to our
demands including appropriate funding of education, they were busy helping
themselves and allocating the funds for personal and political agenda. The
current high profile corruption revelations are really mind boggling yet our
institutions remain a laughing stock among comity of nations. Unfortunately, we
in the labour movement have come to the realization that the students’ bodies
have lost their bearings as they jettisoned the vision and mission of their
founding fathers. Almost all the students’ bodies that I know today are factionalized
simply because of greed for political leadership and wealth. The umbrella students’
unions are now being funded by political patronage, especially government
officials. How can you speak against your master knowing that “he who pays the
piper dictates the tune”. So they end up defending government’s obnoxious
policies on education. Students’ unions in most campuses are no longer in tune
with the welfare and well-being of students. I therefore urge you to have a
change of heart and return to the ideals of the founding fathers.
Finally, it is unfortunate
that we are yet to see the blue-print or know the direction of Buhari led
government’s policies on education. As such, we can neither analyze nor make
input. All we know is that he is fighting corruption with vigour so that
corruption will not kill us. Let us drum into his ears that functional
education is the utmost key to curbing corruption. I wish you fruitful
deliberations.
Solidarity forever!
Struggle continua!!
Victoria acerta!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment