Reopening Tertiary Institutions Now is Suicidal – ASUU Warns

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that attempts to reopen tertiary institution without concrete efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 is suicidal. According to ASUU, the federal government should be ready for any possible negative consequences following its plan to reopen tertiary institutions.

This warning was made by the Lagos Zone of ASUU through the zonal coordinator, Prof. Olusiji Sowande while addressing journalists at a press conference held at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.

According to him, the government made arrangements for special bailout funds for airline operators and other private entities but did not extend the same arrangement to public universities.

He noted that accommodations are inadequate, no facility on the ground to carry out physical distancing in large and crowded classes. He equally stated that water and electricity supply were not reliable in the universities.

Sowande said “The response of the public universities to the call by the National University Commission (NUC) for their readiness to reopen indicated that public universities are not ready.