By TINA TIMOTHY

Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has condemned the decision of the Buhari administration to drag the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to the National Industrial Court, describing it as a ploy to intimidate the striking university lecturers to give up on their demands.

The group, in a press recent statement signed by its National Chairperson, Comrade Rufus Olusesan, and National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Chinedu Bosah, further slammed the government’s neglect of public education and its refusal to meet ASUU’s demands, adding that “allowing public universities to close down for 7 months clearly shows the anti-people character of the Buhari-led government.”

The statement reads in part: “Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) condemns the Buhari-led government’s lawsuit at the National Industrial Court, Abuja, against the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)... This latest step by the federal government is a continuation of the antics to arm-twist the union and possibly lay the legal basis to attack ASUU and its members.

“ASUU has embarked on strike since February 14, 2022, and the strike has lingered on for 7 months over the demands on funding of university education and better welfare conditions. Education is an important aspect of society and should be given utmost priority but the Buhari-led government, just like its predecessors, are not interested in protecting public interest. Allowing public universities to close down for 7 months clearly shows the anti-people character of the Buhari-led government.”

CDWR further urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to, as a matter of urgency, declare a solidarity protest backed with mass actions to compel the government to meet the demands of ASUU, increase funding to public education and retreat on other anti-poor policies.

“At this stage, the solidarity of the trade union movement (Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress) is most needed. We call on the leadership of NLC and the TUC, as a matter of urgency, to begin the mobilization for a 48-hour warning general strike backed with mass actions to demand government meeting the demands of ASUU and other unions and protest the under-funding of public education and healthcare, rising cost of living, hike in fuel prices, hike in electricity tariff, etc. With this, the government can be forced to meet the demands of the striking university workers, increase funding to public education and retreat on other anti-poor policies,” the statement concluded.