Opinion: Kogi State Govt and ASUU, The Communication Gap

By Promise Emmanuel, Lokoja.

One of the causes of perennial crisis is Crisis over Information Deficiency. Those who are at home with Conflict Resolution would understand the critical role accurate and timely information dissemination offers as a mechanism for resolving any crisis. Contemporary Public Relations Experts are thoroughly bred to “Prevent” crisis and also effectively “Manage the crisis” when the situation escalates. However, for the electioneering system of prebendalism and clientelism, appointments into substantive position to represent units of communications by organisations; political or private sector driven are subjected to “rewards” for labour during elections. Those who are partially trained or absently trained are handled sensitive positions to manage. Often than not, their background denies the reality of the appointive job descriptions of the portfolio they manage. Government Communication grid is too technical for handlers who can only spin around verbal and written innuendos and gymnastics. A recent example is a circulated message on the day of Kogi State University Students protest which revealed steps being taken by the government by setting up a committee, headed by the current Speaker of The Kogi State House of Assembly Hon. Imam Imam to make recommendations to resolve the ASUU strike. This type of information ought to have been in the public domain. The time of arrival was in the midst of an already escalated crisis, psychologically, it reduces the effect. Preventive Communication is superlative to “Defensive” strategy. As Tsun Zoo opined, “Attack is the best form of defense”.

The protracted strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Kogi State University chapter has not been managed by both the Union and the State Government in terms of information dissemination and communication flow. The third audience, “students” have been left behind, while the Students Union Government, SUG, has been reduced into a spectator as ASUU and Kogi State Government lock –horns. It is most unfortunate that the apparatus of social engineering, which is the state have failed to carry its subsets along.

Democracy under a representative structure is no longer a “Government by the people for the people”. Direct or Athenian democracy was the only form of democracy which made every voice heard and accountable. The growth of world population through various conquests and scholarships made it expedient for new systems of government. Civilisation and peculiarity of audience members of governance made nations globally adopt systems favourable to the climate of their social and political existence. For the Nigerian state, she modelled her system of Government on Federalism after several experimentation with other systems. Suffice to say, under a real Federal structure, decentralisation of control and responsibility is sustained in order for government to get to the common man, providing the creed of: Security of lives and properties, creation of job opportunities, and strengthening of ties to contribute positively to the global community. Government, also, as the custodians and public protectors of the inalienable, perhaps, non-negotiable Human Rights enshrined in the codes of the Nigerian constitution took a lethal vow to protect rights such as: Right to life, right to free movement, right to equal franchise, right to own wealth, right to religion and association, right to fair hearing and right to education. The issue here is that of “Education”. That is the hype of unfortunate crisis between the state government and ASUU.

It will be hypocritical for the writer of this article to feign ignorance on the volatility of the Nigerian environment whereby everything is “politicised”, even, education. Education is a pivotal pillar to any responsible nation. During the socialization age of primary education, children were taught that “They are the Leaders of tomorrow”. Through this, advocacy for proper education became a continuous plea. Especially in a nation like Nigeria where we operate a “paper economy”. The access to quality jobs depends on the quality of your “Certificate”. It therefore makes it very complex when you’re asking a man to understand something, especially when his future and social safety depends on it. The students as the spectators to ASUU’s gilbrators strike with its equally fit for battle Government opponent is always at the receiving end of any industrial misunderstandings between these two elephants. In most situations, the students are left harplessly helpless, resorting to prayers and constant curses at their leaders as the only way of resisting the mental torture.

Students Angle:

ASUU’s strike started on the 14^th of April. Three months after the Guantanamo struggle, the helpless, perhaps “not so efficient” Students Union Government, according to some students, embarked on a street protest on another 14^th, July, precisely to mark three wasted months of staying at home. It was a historical lockdown, Lokoja, Kogi State Capital witnessed a total lockdown. As the streets and students soared in their heroic demonstrations, they compiled the woes of travellers who use the central link of Kogi state to access the North, East and Southern parts of the country. For the first time, the student’s union government realised their strength. In reaction to the protest, it was learnt that the Chief Security Officer of the state, His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello was out of the country, for issues I would not like to help peddle by rumour mongers, however, it was rumoured about for the graduation ceremony of the two children of our current President, Mohammadu Buhari, in London. Certainty of the rumour cannot be provided by this writer, however certainty of him rising up to the occasion to mitigate the cries of his demonstrating children(students) who took their wailings to his foot stool (Lokoja) would have been secured. In his absence, his avid supporters arrested social media with their different theories. Some said the SUG had been hijacked. Others said ASUU was behind the sponsorship of the students. Another debilitating theory opined that the “political enemies of Gov. Bello were misleading the students”. That is the attendant reaction of Government from the centre to the Local level in Nigeria. People cannot revolt ordinarily, albeit, they’re fools that should remain docile, immovable, unaware of their plights until one politician sponsors them. While a road of truth might be in their theories, good decision making would have accommodated a place in their democratic reasoning to ask: “What about the position of students”?

Students in this country are treated like trash. Our leaders who went to free-good schools have subjected us into the penury of going through hell before getting quality education. We don’t care if ASUU or Government are fighting each other, we (students) as also joint stakeholders. We pay school fees and other silent fees. They are also culpable for wasting three months of our lives which we can seek redress in court for. Students are not politicians, students are learners. We have left politics for politicians. Even though it can be agreed that element of politicization of the strike is present, isn’t that with all cases in Nigeria? Can we not allude to the 2014 six (6) months ASUU strike during the administration of Goodluck Jonathan? Then, they said it was for our good, that we needed facilities for proper education. While we sat for six months, private university students who were our peers outlevelled us. Some have graduated. The same class of students are those whose parents are in top positions in Nigeria, who ground us while their own wards pursue education abroad and in private institutions in Nigeria. Taking sides in these fight is not wisdom for students. ASUU and Government should fear whatever they believe in and ask us not to take sides. It is a threshold of frustration plea.

How can one side with a Government that promised to clear all salary backlogs on arrival of bailout funds. When the funds hit the coffers of the state Government, she promised to pay all salaries owed. They claimed to do be embarking on a screening exercise to weed out ghost-workers before paying in order not to pay the wrong thieving beneficiaries which there was a reported case of one person linking 14 account numbers to himself( God may not forgive some people for their wickedness). They used that to delay payments for weeks into months. A government that owed five(5) months salaries but ended up paying 4 months even when she has the capacity to have cleared all outstanding. This singular act was the opportunity given to “suspected political enemies” to hijack and hostage the government. The truth is that we are in a nose-diving economy, recent inflationary statistics shows 16.5% increase from last year’s helicopter of 7- 8%. It therefore means, salary of four months has lost real value as at the time it was owed. The various lecturers would have to borrow, lift loans and other ventures to sustain themselves until the owed salaries are used to offset debts. It is also a known fact inflation in Nigerian does not carry a parallel increase in salaries and other forms of wages. These are academic staff that have families and other dependents to secure financially. They are like our military, defending the education strength of this country. These are no ordinary people to be taken for granted, what they do cannot be bought with money.

How can we also support or take sides with ASUU? It was still the same ASUU who should have taken recourse to the fact that trade dispute negotiations are subject to a “Win-Win” situation. Government has to win, ASUU has to win. 100% demands cannot be met. It doesn’t happen in the Nigerian political scene. Government claimed to have met 80% of their demands, excluding requests for exemption from tax, over taxation and PAYEE (whatever that means).

How can we side with an ASUU that doesn’t want to pay tax when crash in crude prices has necessitated state governments to improve on their IGR base? How can we support ASUU that promised to call-off strike when they start receiving alerts in their bank accounts only to somersault later by sticking to “No Going Back” slogan, like the motto of the Nigerian military training depot? How can we side ASUU that is not collaborating with the media to tell their own side of the story while we are subjected to rumours? How can we side an ASUU that refused to call-off the strike because “one small boy insulted them with a No Work No Pay” letter? Suffice to say, the three months they’ve been on strike, they’re still getting salaries even without lecturing while many of them are seeking greener pastures elsewhere after voting to embark on strike and abandoning us on a strike we are suffering from?

The students cannot support ASUU or Government because it will be treachery on conscience and common sense. They both have convincing points that can persuade an ordinary student into joining their ranks if he doesn’t focus on objectivity. All we can do is to demonstrate and appeal to them to sheathe their swords. The grass is getting thinner. The economy is thinner. Our patience are getting thinner by the day as well.

Recommendation:

Like the hook of this article mentioned the deficiency in circulation of information, I shall recommend some immediate steps to be taken by ASUU and Government to keep the students and her sympathisers abreast of issues in order to make informed decision. These recommendations are also “preventive measures” to cushion the effect of students taking the law into their hands. The SUG should play critical (media)tory role as the direct link to students. Here are expectations from both ASUU and Government:

Identify one person in your organization as lead spokesperson for the issue. Who do we talk to for media contents on current state of issues?

In the case of widespread crisis let all in the company know who the spokesperson is and that Government officials should not offer any commentary whatsoever on the crisis, but that only the spokesperson may do that. We are getting messages from different people in Government who claim to know what is going on. How do we know the legitimate source?

In the case of more contained crises, one not in danger of growing quickly and widely, consider creating a “drawer statement,” a brief document that responds to the crisis but is not published. It is only used by internal spokespeople to respond to incoming inquiries. There are teeming questions now as: When will ASUU hold their Congress? What is Government position after the protest?

If you don’t have a plan in place already, quickly determine which channels (Government web site or blog, Twitter, Facebook, journalist, external blogger, etc.) will be the most effective. Don’t be fooled into thinking social media is the best route without considering audience, message, reach, etc. We have so many social media commentators who have taken sides. Some are heating up the crisis by whipping up the ethnic sentiments. Some are even calling protesting students “Enemies of Yahaya Bello”. They are also drafting messages to align students into taking sides with Government or ASUU.

Craft a response that answers only the true substance of the crisis and legitimate complaints of the media and Students, etc. at its root. Many persons are insulting students and denigrating them for asking what is going on with ASUU and Government negotiation, which is not proper.

Be honest and direct. Acknowledge your role in the crisis and say something about how you plan to fix it. Issue ongoing communications (for a time) letting people know how you implemented the changes you promised. Government and ASUU, after your last meeting at Lokoja, what have you decided to do? Will you call off the strike as promised? If not now, when and why?