ASUU Postpones Strike, Consultations still Ongoing
The Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) has postponed its decision on strike and plans to embark on an industrial action to compel federal government to meet its demand.
ASUU had threatened to take measures, which included downing tools, to get government to address its demands.
However, in a statement issued by the ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, yesterday, the union said it took account of efforts by many patriotic Nigerians both within and outside the country to ensure amicable resolution of the dispute.
The meeting was held at Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja, on Saturday, December 18, 2021 to review the level of government’s implementation of the FGN-ASUU Memorandum of Action of December 23, 2020 and other related matters.
Offering reasons for the new move after weeks of threatening to ground university education again, ASUU said this was to enable more consultations and give government another opening to address all outstanding issues arising from the December 2020 Memorandum of Action.
He said: “NEC took full account of efforts by student union bodies, leading media traditional rulers, civil society organisations and other interest groups within and outside Nigeria to make government address all outstanding issues arising from the December 2020 MoA.”
In particular, ASUU president said the union took special cognisance of the pledges made by the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) to make further consultations on the crisis in the coming days with a view to finding an amicable resolution. He accused the government of failing on its promise to set up an inter-ministerial committee to handle renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.
“ASUU shall not relent in demanding improvement in the welfare and conditions of service of our members. However, we shall resist any attempt to blackmail the union and derail our patriotic struggle for a productive university system by official propaganda founded on tokenism and crumb-sharing.”
“NEC concluded that government has failed to address all the issues raised in the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement and subsequent MoUs and MoAs.
“However, considering the ongoing intervention and consultation efforts, NEC resolved to review the situation at a later date with a view to deciding on the next line of action.”
