The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called for the total overhauling of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
While calling on the National Assembly to beam searchlight on the activities of the NUC, ASUU insisted that the Commission has failed to reposition Nigerian universities as shown by the NEEDS assessment report carried out by genuine academics which contradicted NUC’s accreditation exercises which gave ‘controversial’ clean bill of health to most universities through what it called ‘magomago accreditation.
ASUU said in sane climes, the NUC boss ought to have resigned through the revelations made in the NEEDS assessment report.
In a release signed by the University of Ibadan Chairman of ASUU, Dr Olusegun Ajiboye titled ‘Where Okojie got it Wrong,’ said the NUC boss, Professor Julius Okojie cannot absolve himself from the rot in the university system by regulating quantity instead of ensuring quality delivery.
Professor Okojie had last week Thursday absolved the commission from any accreditation fraud blaming it on ASUU members.
Ajiboye who described the statement credited to the NUC boss as ‘careless’ accused professor Okojie of using his cronies who can do his bidding to embark on accreditation.
“ASUU cannot be blamed for NUC ‘magomago’ accreditation. Rather than blaming the Union, Okojie should take full responsibility for all the fraudulent deeds in the NUC, including the work and eat accreditation.
“The NUC knows the kind of academics they select for their ignoble exercises. These are cronies of the big man in the NUC. They can never say no to his bidding. Nigerians should be proud of ASUU in it’s efforts at repositioning public universities in the country.
“One of these major efforts is the NEEDS Assessment Document. This was a product of a rigorous academic exercise carried out by dependable and credible members of our Union.
“Unlike the numerous faulty accreditation reports which had given these universities clean bill of health, the NEEDS Assessment Report stands out as a classical document of reference detailing the rot and decay in public universities in Nigeria.
“All well meaning Nigerians can see the contrast between Okojie’s ‘packaged accreditation reports’ and a credible job done by ASUU. It has become very clear from the Needs Assessment that Okojie and his cohort have fooled this country for too long. Enough they say is enough. Time is now for the government to beam a searchlight on the activities of the NUC.
“The Education Committees in both the Senate and House of Representatives have an arduous task to do here. Nigerians are calling for dismantling of an omnibus body that has done the country more harm than good. NUC must go.,” Ajiboye insists.
ASUU said the ongoing strike is fully on adding that the union will not allow itself to be fooled again with ‘promissory notes’ of the Federal Government which had never worked in the past.
He said that the success of 2011 elections was based on the patriotic zeal and contributions of genuine and patriotic ASUU leadership nationwide saying that was why the election was free of hanky-panky recorded in past elections.