ASUU divided over strike suspension, holds NEC meeting – Newstrends
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ASUU divided over strike suspension, holds NEC meeting

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3 years ago

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Barring a last-minute change, the Academic Staff Union of Universities may call off its indefinite strike on Thursday (today).

The Court of Appeal had last Friday, ordered the union to call off its strike.

 The House of Representatives also intervened in the matter, raising the hope that the union may call off the strike soon.

The PUNCH gathered that most of the over 123 branches of the union have completed their congresses on the lingering strike.

Findings by The PUNCH revealed that while some universities voted for the suspension of the strike, others voted for conditional suspension.

One of our correspondents, however, gathered that at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, the branch did not reach a consensus.

A source within the branch said, “No agreement was reached. Members agreed to follow the decision of the union’s National Executive Committee. Remember, we were on strike before the national body declared a strike.”

The situation was different at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, where one of our correspondents gathered that the branch voted in favour of “conditional suspension.”

However, at the congress held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, which also had ASUU members from the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, both in Ondo State in attendance, members voted for suspension so as not to disobey court orders.

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“Members did not want to vote initially but you know ASUU is a union of intellectuals and we cannot be caught breaking the law. That was why we voted for suspension,” a union member present at the congress confided in The PUNCH.

It was also gathered that Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria voted for a conditional suspension of the strike.

At the Usmanu DanFodiyo University, our correspondents also gathered that the branch voted for suspension based on the Appeal Court order.

 Salaries increment

Meanwhile, The PUNCH has learnt that ASUU is awaiting the decision of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) on the salary increase for university lecturers.

Our correspondents, who spoke to various sources within the ASUU-NEC, gathered that no agreement has been made over the percentage increase.

One of the sources said, “No agreement has been made yet on the issue of salary increment. During the meeting with the Speaker, the ASUU President was asked about the salary rate of professors, and he said it was N416,000. The Speaker expressed sadness over the matter; however, he was told that professors at Rivers State University were earning as much as N1m per month. The Speaker called someone to confirm, and it was found to be true.

“However, he couldn’t take any decision and he noted that he would transmit everything to Buhari and that the President would make the final decision.

“Also on the issue of earned allowances, N50bn has been budgeted to cater for outstanding earned allowances, while N170bn has been fixed for salary increases. However, from 2024, it is the various governing councils that will be paying earned allowances, while N300bn will go for revitalisation.”

When asked to comment on the possibility of suspending the strike, a member of ASUU NEC and the University of Jos ASUU Chairman, Dr Lazarus Maigoro, said, “The decision is for the NEC.”

However, the union’s National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, could not be immediately reached for comments.

 Benue ASUU

Like some universities, the Benue State University ASUU chapter resolved to respect the ruling of the Appeal Court.

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Our correspondent learnt that ASUU from Benue State University and Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University held their meeting on Wednesday.

Though, ASUU chairmen from the two universities, Dr Victor Tarnongo and Prof Ameh Ejembi respectively declined to comment, stating that they were heading to Abuja after their respective chapters meeting for the union’s NEC meeting.

 NEC meeting

Meanwhile, the meeting of the NEC is expected to be held at the University of Abuja on Thursday (today).

There, the union is expected to make its stance known officially as regards the lingering strike.

Incorporate UTAS

To avoid another strike, the outgoing Vice Chancellor of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Prof. Ganiu Olatunde, has advised the Federal Government to incorporate some of the features of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System to avoid another strike.

The VC said this on Tuesday, during a chat with journalists in his office to mark the end of his five-year tenure in office.

Olatunde said the only way to peacefully resolve the lingering crisis between the ASUU and the FG over the preferable platform for payment of lecturers’ salaries is for the government to merge the two payment platforms, the UTAS and the IPPIS.

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Just in: Factional Zamfara assembly leaders want governor to represent budget

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8 hours ago

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April 24, 2025

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Just in: Factional Zamfara assembly leaders want governor to represent budget

A factional House of Assembly has emerged in Zamfara state with members demanding the re-presentation of the 2025 Appropriation Bill by Governor Dauda Lawal.

The group, made up of nine lawmakers who were suspended in February 2024 over allegations of misconduct, conspiracy, and illegal sitting, convened in Gusau, the state capital, and declared the formation of a parallel legislative body.

At the session, the lawmakers elected Hon. Bashir Aliyu Gummi as Speaker of the factional assembly.

During the sitting, the faction addressed several issues, including the state’s deteriorating security situation, economic challenges, and the recent reports of mass sackings within the state civil service allegedly carried out by the Lawal administration.

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The group further demanded that Governor Lawal re-present the 2025 budget, arguing that the process followed in its initial passage was flawed. The governor had originally submitted the N545 billion Appropriation Bill to the widely-known State House of Assembly led by Speaker Bilyaminu Ismail Moriki in December 2024. The bill was passed and signed into law that same month.

Present at Wednesday’s session were Hon. Aliyu Ango Kagara (Talata Mafara South), Ibrahim Tudu Tukur (Bakura), Nasiru Abdullahi Maru (Maru North), and Faruk Musa Dosara (Maradun 1). Others included Bashar Aliyu (Gummi 1), Bashir Abubakar Masama (Bukkuyum North), Amiru Ahmed (Tsafe West), Basiru Bello (Bungudu West), and Mukhtaru Nasiru (Kaura Namoda North).

 

Just in: Factional Zamfara assembly leaders want governor to represent budget

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NLC to IMF: Your reforms inflict hunger, poverty on masses

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9 hours ago

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April 24, 2025

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President of the NLC, Comrade Joseph Ajaero

NLC to IMF: Your reforms inflict hunger, poverty on masses

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has taken a swipe at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over its policy proposals to Nigeria and other African nations on how to rejuvenate their ailing economies.

Indeed, the NLC pointedly told the IMF that its conditionalities for giving loans to Nigeria and others were inflict pains of hunger and poverty on the masses.

The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, stated this when he received the IMF team team comprising the its Resident Representative for Nigeria, Christian H. Ebeke, and, Axel Schimmelpfennig from Washington, DC.

The purpose of the visit, it was learnt, was to assess how Nigerian workers and the general populace are being affected by the current socioeconomic environment and the hardship resulting from government policies.

The IMF delegation, led by Schimmelpfennig also sought insights from the NLC regarding the state of the labour market in Nigeria. According to them, the information gathered would contribute to the IMF’s annual country report for Nigeria.

Sources at the meeting disclosed that the IMF team acknowledged that the Nigerian government has been grappling with fiscal challenges since assuming office.

They emphasized that the IMF’s recommendations are purely advisory and not mandatory, based on the prevailing realities in each country.

The delegation expressed concern that, often, governments do not follow the IMF’s recommendations to the letter, instead adapting them to align with political objectives. In effect, the IMF attempted to distance itself from the adverse consequences of some recent economic reforms in Nigeria.

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Nevertheless, the IMF team requested continued engagement with the NLC going forward.

Ajaero made it clear that governance should prioritize citizens’ welfare over profit-making.

He criticized the austerity measures often recommended by the IMF, noting that they have worsened living conditions for Nigerians.

It was gathered that Ajaero particularly highlighted the removal of fuel subsidies, which he said has led to increased suffering, hunger, and poverty among workers and the general population.

The NLC president argued that there was no real subsidy to remove in the first place, as the government was already profiting from crude oil sales.

He described the “subsidy removal” as merely a justification for increasing fuel prices.

He equally questioned the use of the revenue purportedly saved from the subsidy removal, especially since the government continues to borrow heavily.

“He pointed out that the cost of essential services—such as education and transportation—has tripled, leading to widespread hardship.

He condemned the growing disparity between the worsening living conditions of citizens and the increasing wealth of government officials.”

Ajaero emphasized that genuine reforms should improve the welfare of the people, not enrich those in power.

He also criticized the government for not consulting key stakeholders before implementing the subsidy removal policy.

This exclusion, he said, had exacerbated the country’s economic challenges.

He noted that inclusive dialogue could have produced better strategies and outcomes, lamenting that the government has isolated itself from valuable advice.”

On the national minimum wage, the NLC president complained that the N70,000 wage is not being implemented sincerely across all levels of government. Instead, the government has continued to impose additional taxes, worsening the financial burden on citizens.

Ajaero urged the IMF to advise the government to ease this pressure and allow citizens to breathe.

He warned that rising poverty levels could lead to social unrest if left unaddressed.

NLC to IMF: Your reforms inflict hunger, poverty on masses

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‘Enough is enough’, Tinubu directs security chiefs to stop violent attacks

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18 hours ago

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April 23, 2025

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‘Enough is enough’, Tinubu directs security chiefs to stop violent attacks

 

President Bola Tinubu has ordered security operatives to end forthwith the violent attacks in some parts of the country, especially in Plateau, Borno, and Benue states.
He gave the directive during a meeting with security chiefs at the State House on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA); Mohammed Mohammed, director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA); Emmanuel Undianeye, chief of defence intelligence; Oluwatosin Ajayi, director-general (DG) of the Department of State Services (DSS); and Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff (CoS) to the President.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Ribadu said Tinubu declared that “enough is enough” on the resurgence of violence in some parts of the country.
The NSA said the president directed security chiefs to work with the political authorities in states and at the grassroots level to find a lasting solution to the insecurity.
He said the security chiefs had acted on Tinubu’s previous instructions by meeting with political leaders in the affected communities and states.
The NSA said the meeting offered the security chiefs the opportunity to fully brief the president about the current security situation of the country.
“This time, we were able to sit with him for hours and give a proper briefing. We also took new instructions from him,” he said.
“Insecurity is not only a government problem.
“It also involves the subnational units — the communities, local governments, and especially the governors. The president directed that we work more closely with them.
“Some of these problems are community-related. While not entirely so, that element plays a significant role.
“Mr. President is working hard to ensure that Nigeria enjoys peace and stability. We are not relenting. We will not stop until we get the results he demands.”
On the resurgence of violent attacks in Borno, Ribadu said the terrorists were planting explosives during the period of relative peace in the state.
“This enemy does not give up easily. When there’s peace for a long time, they try to shock the public with an isolated incident,” he said.
The NSA said the security situation in the country is not yet at 100 percent, while noting that there is “significant improvement”.
Since the beginning of the month, many have been killed in some communities in Plateau State.
Benue State has also recorded violent attacks as over 50 people were killed in Ukum and Logo LGAs on April 18.

 

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