ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF UNIVERSITIES ASUU, EXTENDS ONGOING STRIKE BY 4 WEEKS.
Written by AIGBOKHAEBHO OKHUELEIGBE on August 1, 2022
Following extensive deliberations and taking cognizance of the Government’s past failures to abide by its own timelines in addressing issues raised in the 2020 FGN/ASUU Memorandum of Action, the National Executive Council of ASUU has resolved that the ongoing strike be extended for another four weeks from August 1, 2022
In a nine paragraphs communique signed by Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, ASUU says the extension is to give Government more time to satisfactorily resolve all the outstanding issues.
ASUU says the emergency meeting was called to review developments and NEC’s resolution is to extend the ongoing strike.
ASUU notes that the meeting took place against the backdrop of the government’s obligations as spelled out in the Memorandum of Action it signed with ASUU on December 23, 2020.
ASUU recalls the government’s failure to conclude the process of renegotiating the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, deploy the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, UTAS, pay outstanding arrears of Earned Academic Allowances, release the agreed sum of money for the revitalization of public universities, both Federal and States, address proliferation and governance issues in State Universities, settle promotion arrears, release withheld salaries of academics, and pay outstanding third-party deductions.
ASUU says it has viewed with seriousness the recent directive given by President Muhammadu Buhari and Visitor to all Federal Universities that the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, in consultation with other government officials, should resolve the lingering crisis and report to him within two weeks.
The Union says it wonders why it had taken five full months and needless muscle-flexing for government to come to the realization of the need for honest engagement.
While appreciating the nationwide protest of July 26 and 27, organized by the Nigeria Labour Congress in collaboration with Civil Society Organizations to further create awareness on the antics of the Nigerian ruling class to destroy public education, ASUU adds it has observed that non-signing of the draft renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement more than one month after it was concluded by Professor Nimi Briggs-led Committee is further tasking the patience of ASUU members nationwide.
ASUU clarifies that the ongoing trial of the suspended Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, on allegation of monumental fraud has vindicated its rejection of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information, IPPIS, and enjoins the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA to release reports of the latest tests on UTAS vis-à-vis IPPIS without further delay.
ASUU insists that it shall resist any attempt to truncate the deployment of UTAS with all legitimate means available to the Union.
