ASUU shut Universities gates, embark on four weeks warning strike 

In what has been describe as “Total and Comprehensive” the academic staff union of universities has embarked on a national wide strike. ASUU’s national president Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke broke the news of the strike during a press conference following a two-day deliberation of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) tagged ‘NEC for NEC.’

Osodeke added that the nationwide strike was for four weeks and would be “comprehensive and total”.

The union’s demands include funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances and University Transparency Accountability Solution.

Others are renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, and the inconsistencies in Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System Payment.

Osodeke said: “The NEC of our union has resolved to embark on a four-week total and comprehensive strike beginning from February 14.

“That’s the resolution of the latest NEC meeting held on February 12 and 13. The patience of our members has been dragged beyond a tolerable limit.

“The greatest asset of any nation is human capital. We, therefore, seek the understanding and support of all stakeholders to make the Nigerian government more responsible to issues of human capital development.”

Members of the NEC, encompassing ASUU leaders across campuses, had been holding meetings since Saturday, the latest of which was at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) described ASUU’s action as “disappointing.”

It said it thought ASUU and the Federal Government represented by top executives would allow reason to prevail by reaching a compromise.

In a statement by its President, Asefon Sunday, NANS said it would take a decisive decision on February 17 at its non-elective congress on February 17.

The NANS – Joint Campus Committee (JCC), Ondo State chapter begged the Federal Government and ASUU to resolve the dispute.

A former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Kayode Soremekun, advised that former vice-chancellors should be allowed to mediate the dispute.

The West Africa Student’s Union, WASU through its President Pillah Romans Orhembaga warned the government not to blame ASUU, but that education should be made an essential service that cannot attract industrial action.

Deputy National President, National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo urged President Buhari to intervene.

Stakeholders have appealed to the Federal Government and university lecturers to resolve their lingering dispute in the country’s interest.

This followed yesterday’s declaration of fresh industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The Nation’s checks revealed that ASUU has gone on strike for a total of more than 49 months since the return of democracy in 1999.

The stakeholders lamented that the incessant strike action was taking a heavy toll on the academic pursuit of students in public tertiary institutions.