MORE THAN 89 SCHOOLS ON LOCKDOWN AS ASUU STRIKE ENTERS DAY 3

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has embarked on an indefinite strike following what they call the “alleged failure of the federal government to faithfully implement the 2009 agreements and 2013 Memorandum of Understanding it signed with the union”.

About 40 federal and 44 state universities in the country have been affected, with the exceptions of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Jos (UNIJOS), Ebonyi State University and University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).

ASUU’s leadership insisted that the strike was total, comprehensive and indefinite and also threatened to sanction any institution that would defy the strike order to conduct lectures, examinations or any nocturnal meetings for the period the action would last.

While speaking on the TVC News Breakfast Show, UNILAG branch chairman of ASUU, Mr. Adelaja Odukoya said all university will be on strike by the end of today, Wednesday when the executive members would summon a congress where the strike would be fully activated.

He described the strike as a result of the mishandling and non-demonstration of sincerity by the government. He noted that the Union had done all the best they could to work with the present government.

“We have written almost five different letters to the Federal Government in recent past all to no avail. It is disappointing that despite prime importance of university education, the political class in Nigeria has continued to pay mere lip-service to addressing the rot and decay in the sub-sector”.

The ASUU Chairman noted the contributions of some individuals in this present government towards the ASUU cause while they were not yet in service. He wondered what has now changed , saying they are expected to make the positive changes possible in their present capacities.

“The Acting President was a Lecturer at the University of Lagos, The Current Minister of Education, Ahaji Adamu Adamu  was an ASUU advocate as a journalist, same goes for the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed who was a former VC of Bayero University, Kano. We all blamed the former government for not honouring our agreement, yet we do the same. This government cannot be trusted,” he said.

Also reacting to accusations against the union by the minister of labour of their complicity in not following due process in the declaration of the industrial action as it did not give the Federal Government the mandatory 15 days’ notice as contained in the Section 41 of Trade Disputes Act, Cap T8, 2004.

The UNILAG branch chairman of ASUU said that was untrue.

“We suspended a strike late last year in response to Federal Government’s appeal to the leadership of Academic Staff Union of University, ASUU, to appreciate the current economic challenges that has financially constrained the Federal Government to meet its demands. They gave us 6 months to get back to us. The six months has since elapsed since June, that is more than two months now. What we did was just to call off the suspension,” he said.

A meeting held between the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige yesterday Tuesday, at the Minister’s Conference Room, Ministry of Labour, Abuja to take significant steps toward the resolution of the issues raised by ASUU.

Deputy Director, Press, Ministry of Labour, Mr Samuel Olowookere, said the meeting agreed on the forensic audit of the sum of N30 billion earlier given to the ASUU in 2010. He said the meeting further agreed on monthly remittances to ASUU, while the audit last.

The minister assured members of ASUU and Nigerians that government is already at work to resolve all outstanding issues in line with the present administration’s commitment to prevent disruption of academic calendar in universities.

- Culled from Wassupnow