The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has announced an absolute and indefinite strike.
The move former part of decisions reached at the ASUU National Executive Council meet on Sunday, August 28.
The indefinite strike action by the union follows the lackadaisical attitude of the government toward the demands and plight of the lecturers.
The indefinite strike action was contained in a statement signed by the ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osedeke.
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The statement titled ‘ASUU strikes are to save public universities,’ noted that the ASUU NEC regretted the union’s experienced of deceit at the highest level in the last five and half years.
It statement also noted that government had engaged the union in fruitless and unending negotiations in the said timeframe without a display of utmost fidelity.
The statement read;
‘‘In view of the foregoing, and following extensive deliberations on government’s response to the resolution of 14th February 2022, so far, NEC concluded that the demands of the union had not been satisfactorily addressed.
“Consequently, NEC resolved to transmute the roll-over strike to a comprehensive, total, and indefinite strike action beginning from 12.01 a.m Monday 29th August 2022.
‘‘NEC acknowledges with appreciation past and current efforts by eminent Nigerians and groups to mediate in the lingering crisis. Our union remains open to reasonable engagements as we have always done.
“However, ASUU remains focused on the full implementation of the 23rd December 2020 Memorandum of Action for quick restoration of industrial harmony in Nigeria’s public universities.
‘‘NEC noted with pains, its concerns for Nigerians students who are also our wards and foster children and condemned government’s seeming indifference to their plights. Were it within our control, our universities would never have been shut for one day. ‘’
ASUU had commenced the ongoing strike action on February 14, 2022, over the government’s refusal to meet some of its demands.
Some of the demands include the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the UTAS payment platform for the payment of salaries and allowances of university lecturers.
Meanwhile, a meeting between the ASUU executives and the Federal Government’s reconciliation Committee led by Nimi Briggs on August 16, 2022, ended in deadlock, with the union members staging a walkout on the government.
