Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has decided to extend its 167-day strike by four weeks.
The Union’s president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, announced this in a statement on Monday.
He claims that the new strike is intended to give the government enough time to resolve all outstanding issues with the lecturers.
The ASUU President stated that the body conveyed an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the association on Sunday at the University of Abuja, and that the extension is effective immediately on August 1.
“Following extensive deliberation and taking into account the Government’s previous failures to adhere to its own timelines in addressing issues raised in the 2020 FGN/ASUU Memorandum of Action (MOA), the NEC resolved that the strike be rolled over for four weeks to give Government more time to satisfactorily resolve all outstanding issues.”
“The roll-over strike action will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, August 1, 2022,” the statement said.
“An emergency meeting of the National Executive Council of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was held on Sunday, July 31, 2022, at the Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja, Abuja.” The meeting was called to review developments since the NEC’s decision to extend the roll-over strike action for another 12 weeks, beginning in May 2022.
“The NEC meeting was held against the backdrop of the government’s obligations as outlined in the Memorandum of Action (MOA) it signed with ASUU on December 23rd, 2020.” NEC specifically cited the government’s failure to complete the renegotiating process of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, deploy the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), pay outstanding arrears of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), release the agreed-upon sum of money for the revitalization of public universities (Federal and States), address proliferation and governance issues in State Universities, settle promotion arrears, and release withheld salaries.
“NEC took seriously the President and Visitor’s recent directive to all Federal Universities that the Minister of Education, in consultation with other government officials, resolve the lingering crisis and report to him within two weeks.”
“The Union wonders why it took the government five months and unnecessary muscle-flexing to recognize the need for honest engagement.”
“NEC acknowledged the Union’s principled demand for globally competitive university education in Nigeria, as well as the growing understanding of the issues.” Nigerian universities must not be reduced to constituency projects that only exist on paper, and our scholars must be encouraged to stay in Nigeria and do what they know best.
“NEC applauded the historic nationwide protest on July 26th and 27th, 2022, organized by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in collaboration with Civil Society Organizations (CSO) to raise awareness about the Nigerian ruling class’s efforts to destroy public education.” ASUU renews its commitment to the NLC’s struggles in championing the cause of Nigeria’s working and suffering people.
“NEC observed that the failure to sign the draft renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement more than one month after it was concluded by the Professor Nimi Briggs-led Committee is testing the patience of ASUU members across the country.”
“NEC also noted that the ongoing trial of the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Ahmed Idris, on charges of monumental fraud has vindicated ASUU’s rejection of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS)” (IPPIS).
“The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is urged to release reports on the most recent tests on the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) in comparison to IPPIS as soon as possible.”
“ASUU will use all legitimate means at its disposal to oppose any attempt to halt the deployment of UTAS.”
“The NEC observed that the political class’s cumulative indifference created a pervasive atmosphere of insecurity, which now threatens the country’s seamless provision of educational services.”
“The abrupt closure of educational institutions in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the aftermath of the recent attack on Presidential Guards reveals a hasty response to a malignant ailment.”
“Nothing short of a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s security architecture will address the problem sustainably.”
