The group described the move by the government to drag the striking university lecturers under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) before the National Industrial Court of Nigeria as a ploy to criminalise a legitimate struggle.
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has condemned the decision of the Nigerian government to sue striking university lecturers.
The group described the move by the government to drag the striking university lecturers under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) before the National Industrial Court of Nigeria as a ploy to criminalise a legitimate struggle.
According to court documents obtained by SaharaReporters on Sunday, the Nigerian government through the labour and employment minister, Chris Ngige, said, ”In view of the fact that ASUU members have been on strike since February 14, and have refused to call off the action despite apprehension of same, it would be appreciated if this dispute is given an accelerated hearing in order to bring the dispute to an end.”
The minister further argued that his letter which he tagged ”Referral Instrument” was in line with powers vested on him by the trade dispute resolution mechanism and the provision of Section 17 of the Trade Dispute Act. CAP. TB. Laws.
ERC, however, condemned the government's action in a statement signed by Ogunjimi Isaac Ayobami,
its Deputy National Coordinator and
Michael Lenin, the group's Mobilization Officer.
The statement read, "We hold that the FG’s move to drag ASUU to the industrial court is a ploy to criminalize ASUU’s legitimate struggle and clamp down on the union rather than meeting their demands. Except the move is dropped or defeated, it will worsen the ongoing industrial dispute and further dampen the hope for the reopening of public universities
"Therefore, we call on the government to drop this plan to victimize ASUU and rather meet the demands of the union in order for public universities to be reopened.
"The strike action by ASUU which has lasted about 7 months without any serious and sincere response and step from the government shows how it is nonchalant about public education.
"It is only an irresponsible government that would allow closure of the public universities for this long. This is the case because of the anti-poor education policies of the Buhari government like its predecessors and the fact that the top government functionaries do not have children in public universities in the country.
"It is on this note that we of the ERC call on NLC (Nigeria Labour Congress), TUC (Trade Union Congress) and individual trade unions, as well as student bodies and civil society organisations to condemn this planned use of the instrumentality of judiciary to attempt to criminalize a legitimate struggle of ASUU.
"As a practical step, we are canvassing a peaceful solidarity action by trade unions and civil society organizations at the industrial court tomorrow or any day the matter comes up. We also reiterate our consistent call on the NLC and TUC to declare a 48-hour general strike and mass protest to force the government to meet the demands of ASUU and other unions so that students of public universities can resume their academic activities.
"Also importantly, we urge ASUU leadership to take the struggle beyond media war and begin to organize a series of mass activities aimed at direct engagement with parents, students, trade unions, pro-masses organisations, professional bodies and the general public over their struggle to save public university education and ensure adequate funding and decent pay for their members. "