ASUU hints of fresh strike from Wednesday

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday gave the Federal Government a fresh deadline of 48 hours over its demand to honour the agreement with the union or face a fresh industrial action.

President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed this in a telephone interview with Daily Trust.

The labour leader said after the expiration of a three-week ultimatum to the FG on Sunday, the union had commenced mobilization of its members and would conclude its consultation with various branches across the federation by Wednesday and subsequently make its position known.

ASUU on November 15 gave the FG a three-week ultimatum over the latter’s failure to meet the union’s demands.

ASUU had threatened to embark on another strike after the FG failed to implement the Memorandum of Action it signed with the union leading to the suspension last year’s strike.

Prof. Osodeke said despite meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, on October 14, 2021, on the issues including funding for public universities, earned academic allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution, promotion arrears, renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, and the inconsistencies in Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system payment, none of the demands had been met.

Recall that the Federal Government had promised to pay N30bn as revitalisation fund to universities as well as pay N22.1bn earned allowances to university workers.