ASUU: Kano varsity lecturers vow to remain on strike as government mulls punitive measures

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Kano state-owned universities yesterday, vowed to sustain the indefinite nationwide strike action embarked on by the union.

Besides, ASUU insisted no amount of mischievous tendencies and or intimidation from any quarter would frustrate their commitment and struggle begun over six months ago.

ASUU Zonal Chairman, Kano zone, Professor AbdulKadir Mohammad Danbazau, made the pledge while reacting to the Kano State government’s move to compel lecturers in state universities back to class.

The professor of Geography from Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology Wudil, insisted that ASUU in Kano universities are chartered branches of the academic union, which would remain in the struggle until the Federal Government resolves the lingering issues.

Danbazau explained that members in state universities would not succumb to mischief by those isolating ASUU’s agitation to Federal universities, stressing that fight for improved working conditions and revitalisation of the universities is a joint venture.

The university don who claimed that lecturers in the two state-owned universities have the moral justification to join the nationwide strike, dared the government to invoke any policy against the lecturers. He said ASUU is prepared to bear the consequences.

Kano State government had declared that ASUU members in Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, and Yusuf Maitama Sule University, have no justification to abandon their statutory responsibility when government never reneges on monthly salary and allowances.

In an interview with The Guardian, the state Head of Service, Alh. Usman Bala said the government is worried over the protracted strike action, especially when the crux of the matter largely resides between ASUU and Federal Government.

Usman, who is also the Chief of Staff to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, however, insisted that the state government has the responsibility to deliver quality educational service. He vowed that the government would not be held hostage in fulfilling her responsibility.

“Let me say that nobody, not even ASUU, will hold the government back from performing it’s responsibility to the public. No stone will be left untold in trying to ensure that academic activities resume in earnest across state-own universities. That’s can be assured.

“We are going to invite them again to resolve pending issues. During the first meeting with ASUU, they told the government that they are in solidarity with ASUU national body, even when there is no local issue. But the government made it clear that the idea is not tenable if the state government is providing a conducive environment by way of meeting their salaries and allowances there is no need for that.

“I’m aware that a substantial amount of their allowance has been settled though we may have few backlogs. Government also made it clear that ASUU has enjoyed industrial harmony with the state government and that should not be taken for granted. But the response we had from them was that they just have to remain at home in solidarity with the national body to avoid sanction.

“But now we realised that stand is dysfunctional to our education system and position of Kano State government, not even when some state universities are pulling out of the six-month-old strike. This is not realistic and we are inviting them again to let them see the reason why they should return to class I’m sure they will see reason to that effect because they are patriotic and responsible fellows.

However, the government has an array of options to take if ASUU refused to yield to our appeal. Government will not fold its hands to allow the strike to continue while there is no genuine reason for the strike to continue and ASUU will not hold the government to ransom. Don’t forget, Government has the responsibility to ensure the provision and running of public schools without hindrance,” Usman noted.