The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has notified the Federal Government of its intention to initiate a nationwide strike by issuing a 21-day ultimatum, according to The PUNCH.
Insiders within ASUU’s National Executive Council disclosed this information to our reporter in Abuja on Monday.
The ultimatum was announced after the NEC meeting, which took place at the University of Ibadan, and a copy is set to be sent to the Federal Ministries of Labour and Education.
“It is not an ultimatum but a strike notice. We are giving them 21 days’ notice, after which we shall embark on strike.
“Our aim for putting out the notice is that it is a requirement under labour laws so we are trying to ensure that all our actions are done according to the law,” the source said.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had earlier warned of a potential strike due to the federal government’s failure to fulfill previously agreed-upon terms.
On June 26, the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, called for a meeting with the union to discuss the ongoing challenges in universities and prevent the proposed strike.
The national president of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, stated that the agreements made with the Federal Government during the meeting have not yet been carried out.
“At the meeting called by the Minister of Education, we agreed that after two weeks, we will meet to see the progress the government has made.
“We will also see what we will do next if the government fail to implement the agreements reached.”
The national president of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, commented on the meeting’s outcome, stating that the agreements made with the Federal Government have not been fulfilled. He mentioned that some of the key issues included the failure to implement the re-negotiated 2009 agreements.
He noted that these agreements have been pending for over six years, with no action taken by the government.
Osodeke also pointed out that the academic allowances owed to their members have been accumulating for more than six years, without any resolution.
Regarding the revitalization fund, he mentioned that they had agreed, based on the Needs Assessment Report, to allocate N200 billion annually for five years.
“Since 2013, only one has been paid. We need revitalisation funds to upgrade our universities to standard so that we can have students and lecturers from outside the country,” he said.
The PUNCH
