After about fifteen years of meeting deadlocks in its negotiations with the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared its readiness to down tools.
The Union has, however, issued a 14-day warning ultimatum to the Federal Government to resolve some lingering issues dating as far back as 2009, or the union will embark on a fresh strike that would paralyze the nation’s university education sector.
The president of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed that the lecturers union is seeking the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement of 2021.
In a statement he issued on Wednesday, Osodeke explained that the union had given the Nigerian government another 14 days, in addition to the earlier 21 days, beginning from Monday, September 23, 2024, during which all the lingering issues must have been concretely addressed to the satisfaction of the union.
He said the union should not be held responsible for any industrial disharmony and university education delay that arise from the government’s failure to seize the new opportunity offered by ASUU to resolve the agelong crisis.
The ASUU president said the union is also demanding the release of withheld salaries due to the 2022 strike action, and expressed frustration with the government’s lack of commitment and delay tactics.
According to him, the union is also demanding the release of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), and the payment of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions.
ASUU president pointed out that agitation for funding to revitalise public universities which is partly captured in the 2023 Federal Government Budget, adding that the payment of Earned Academic Allowances is also partly captured in the 2023 federal government budget.
While identifying proliferation of universities by federal and state governments, the implementation of the reports of visitation panels to universities, the reversal of the illegal dissolution of governing councils, and the adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a replacement for IPPIS as other demands of the union, Osodeke asked the Federal Government to be serious and sincere in its dealings with the union moving forward.