ASUU declares indefinite strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has declared a total and indefinite strike.

The PUNCH had reported that ASUU National Executive Council would meet on Sunday to take a decision over the government’s lackadaisical attitude toward the demands and plight of lecturers.

Meanwhile, a meeting between ASUU executives and the Federal Government’s Nimi Briggs committee on August 16, 2022, ended in deadlock.

In a statement titled, ‘ASUU strikes are to save public universities,’ and signed by ASUU National President, Prof, Emmanuel Osodeke, said NEC observed with regret that the union had experienced a lot of deceit at the highest level in the last five and half years, saying the FG engaged ASUU in fruitless and unending negotiation without a display of utmost fidelity.

It 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.

It added that ‘‘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 commenced its ongoing strike on February 14, 2022, after the Federal Government refused to meet some of its demands including, 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.