Lawyer dragged FG and ASUU to court over lingering strike

A Lagos-based legal practitioner, Daniel Onwe, has dragged the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, before a Federal High Court in Lagos, southern Nigeria, over the lingering crisis between the two bodies which has led to the closure of public universities in the country since 1 July.

In a motion dated 30 September, 2013, Barrister Onwe is seeking an order of court to compel ASUU to call off the strike it embarked upon in protest over the unwillingness of government to implement certain aspects of the agreement they reached over the parlous state of Nigerian universities and other issues.

In a 15-paragraph affidavit filed along with the motion, Onwe is asking the court to declare that the indefinite strike embarked upon by ASUU, leading to the closure of government owned universities for three months, violates the fundamental rights of the students affected.

He argued that the continued strike action by ASUU has traumatized many students who now engage in all sorts of vices.

Onwe posited that the plight of the affected students has worsened as their contemporaries in private universities continue to attend lectures while they remain idle at home.

He urged the court to compel ASUU to open the universities for lectures to resume while their negotiation with the Federal Government continues.

No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.

 

A good step in the right direction, at last a good citizen fighting for the helpless students.

My only concern is why only ask the court to 'compel' ASUU to call of the strike and not ask the court to equally 'compel' the government to own up to her responsibility?!