By our reporter| The Academic Staff Union of Universities, on Monday, warned that reopening of higher instutions in the country will suicidal unless the federal government take concrete steps to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The various zones of the union who said that social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols were practically impossible in public tertiary institutions, warned that any attempt to reopen the institutions would not only be suicidal, but also worsen the spread of coronavirus, given the overcrowding situation in higher institutions.
The warning is coming against the backdrop of plans by states to reopen schools from September.
The Lagos Zone of ASUU, at a press conference at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, said the Federal Government should be ready for any possible negative consequences if it reopened the institutions without putting necessary measures in place.
According tothe zonal Coordinator of ASUU , Prof Olusiji Sowande, government made arrangements for special bailout for airline operators and other private individuals, but did not extend such to public universities.
Sowande argued that it was not enough to have the students back on campuses, but that the atmosphere and conditions must also be right, stating that hostel accommodation was inadequate, and no facilities to ensure physical distancing in large and crowded classes.
He said, “The response of the public universities to the call by the National University Commission for their readiness to reopen indicates that public universities are not ready.
“Hostel accommodation is inadequate; there are no facilities on ground to carry out physical distancing in large and crowded classes; water and electricity supplies are not reliable .
“Reopening tertiary institutions without taking concrete steps to address these issues will be suicidal. While government made arrangements for special bailout for airline operators and other private entities, no such arrangement was made for public universities.
“ Therefore, government should be ready to take responsibility for any possible negative consequences after reopening of universities.
“If government has faithfully implemented the 2012 Needs Assessment report which identified the intensity of the rot in education sector and tertiary education in particular, Nigerian public universities would have been more involved in COVID-19 testing and developing solutions through cutting edge research in well-equipped laboratories.”
On ASUU strike, he said the union had written to relevant government agencies with a view to finding steps to put an end to the industrial action.
“It seems to us that some government officials are benefiting from the prevailing situation. We demand that the OAGF (Office of the Accountant General of the Federation) must immediately remit all illegally withheld dues and other third party deductions with accrued interests”, he said.
The Abuja Zone of ASUU, at a news conference in Abuja addressed by the zonal coordinator, Prof. Theophilus Lagi, also urged government to strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control about COVID-19 before reopening public universities.
Lagi said, “The union is not insensitive to the general clamour for the reopening of public universities in Nigeria in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic. We advise that this should happen only when the following actions have been taken by government: Government must as a matter of urgency implement the memorandum of agreement of February 7, 2019, signed with ASUU”.
“They should adhere to the NCDC protocols of safeguarding the lives of students, lecturers and workers in the universities such as provision of the means of maintain social distancing in all hostels, classrooms, lecture theaters and auditorium in all the public universities in the country.
“There should be provision of hand sanitisers, temperature taking devices, face masks, running water and soap facilities for students and staff in the universities at all times. Provision of testing centres and isolation facilities in all public universities is also necessary.”
“We have pointed out to the government to expend more funds to upgrade existing universities to the world-class standard instead of the ongoing proliferation of universities by both state and federal governments”.
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