The Academic Staff Union
of Universities (ASUU) has called on Nigerians to agitate for the institutionalization of a Socialist Welfare State where the plights of the poor are given priority attention.
National President of ASUU, Dr. Faggae Isa, who gave the charge while briefing newsmen at the University of Calabar, stressed that the Nigerian state is at present a veritable instrument of oppression and economic plunder of the collective wealth of the people, adding that the country needs to institutionalize a socialist welfare state in order to elevate the level of welfare of the poor.
Isa stated that it was only by instituting a socialist state that the country could move forward, noting that that such a system of governance could contribute immensely in reconstructing Nigeria’s economic and political institutions to serve the welfare needs of the people.
“A socialist welfare state will remove the economic basis of the nationality problem, promote freedom of religion in condition of equality of citizens and remove the basis of State plunder and terror.
“In the socialist welfare state the deep historical-cultural ties among the people will be preserved and developed. Genuine national integration will also be promoted,” he said
The ASUU helmsman maintained that the transition to the socialist welfare state could be kick-started with an insistence, by the civil society, on strict adherence to the principles of ownership and control of the economy as enshrined in the 1999 constitution and other than federal and state laws.
The ASUU boss also stated that all the forces committed to the reconstruction of Nigeria, led by the labour movement forces, should expediently embark on popular political education, emphasizing that a socialist welfare state is the true alternative to enslavement of global liberalism.
According to him, Nigerian polity although referred to as a federation is operated like a monarchy, adding that, “the ruling class keeps sermonizing about true federalism but in reality what counts as true federalism is a dispute and subject of controversy determined by calculation of the felt need of each ethnic wing of the ruling class for grabbing welfare, political and economic domination”
Dr J. C. Amadi of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) (left) and Barr Courage Nsirim Ovu under-going Board member screening of RSSDA, at the floor of the Rivers State House of Assembly, last Monday. Photo: Chris Monyanaga.
