…accuses FG of insensitivity
BENIN CITY – The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is set to embark on another indefinite strike soon if the Federal Government fails to implement the Memorandum of Action it signed with the union last year.
In a statement by the Chairman of ASUU, Dr Biodun Olaniran, and Secretary, Dr Toyin Abegunrin, at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, said after the congress of the union held on Monday, that the failure of the government to fully implement the agreement was worrisome.
The union stressed that it had resolved to embark on an indefinite strike if the Federal Government failed to accede to its demands within a certain period of time.
The statement read in part, “Our union, ASUU, is using this medium to call upon the Federal Government of Nigeria once again to implement the agreement it signed with ASUU. It is unfortunate to mention that the FG signed an agreement with the ASUU since 2009, but the agreement is not implemented till date.
“The agreement was renegotiated in the name of peace. But to our dismay, the government has refused to sign the renegotiated agreement. In order to make the implementation of the agreement easy for the FG, the union has limited its demand to only three.
“These include the signing/implementation of the renegotiated agreement of 2009; and the adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Software instead of the controversial IPPIS.”
On his part, the Chairman, ASUU, Kwara State University, Malete, Dr Salau Sheu, stated that the Federal Government was trying to dodge its responsibility by directing ministers to oversee the implementation of the MoA.
He said, “It is wrong for President Muhammadu Buhari to assign two ministers to oversee the implementation of the Memorandum of Action signed last year with ASUU. First, the assigned ministers are not part of the agreement. Only the ministers of Finance and Education were part of the agreement. The Federal Government is trying to take away university autonomy through its designed programmes and it is trying to shy away from implementing the resolutions of the negotiations.
“ASUU is having its National Executive Council meeting at the University of Lagos on February 12 and 13. If nothing is done by the government between now and then, the lecturers may go on strike.”
Meanwhile, ASUU members at the University of Benin, on Monday, observed the work-free day as directed by the national body and warned of an impending strike.
The union, in a statement by the Chairman and Secretary, Ray Chikogu and Success Absomwan, respectively, said it was compelled to state that the Federal Government and its agents were determined to cripple academic activities in the nation’s universities.
The Chairman of the University of Ilorin branch of ASUU, Prof Moyosore Ajao, said the branch would observe the work-free-day today (Tuesday.)
Members of the University of Abuja chapter of the union are set to meet on Wednesday over the proposed industrial action.
There were skeletal activities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, on Monday as lecturers and students were seen gathered in groups discussing matters of interest.
One of the lecturers, who identified himself simply as Dr Ije, said the situation was connected to the Monday sit-at-home declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra across the South-East.
The lecturer added that ASUU in the institution had already observed its lecture-free day on February 1.
A member of the ASUU National Executive Council, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that the union would have no choice but to embark on another strike.
“At this point, we have no choice but to go on strike; that is the only language the government understands. We have been going back and forth, but it seems as if they are not ready to listen and do what is right,” the NEC member said.
