ASUU Declares Total Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU has declared a one-month total strike to press home its demands from the Federal Government.

The National Executive Council NEC of ASUU had voted in support of the strike in a meeting that lasted several hours in Lagos.

President of ASUU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke announced the resolution of the Union while addressing Journalists.

In an interview with Radio Nigeria, the Chairman, University of Abuja chapter of ASUU, Dr Kasim Umar said a committee had already been set up to ensure total compliance by lecturers at the University.

Members of the union’s National Executive Council had held marathon meetings since Saturday at the University of Lagos ahead of the strike

ASUU had sensitized and mobilised lecturers and students across all universities on the reason the union might likely go on strike.

The union had expressed grievances over the failure of the Federal Government to fulfil some of the agreements it made as far back as 2009.

ASUU had on November 15, 2021, given the federal government a three-week ultimatum over the failure to meet its demands.

The lecturers threatened to embark on another round of industrial action following the alleged “government’s unfaithfulness” in the implementation of the Memorandum of Action it signed with the union, leading to the suspension of the strike in year 2020.

After the union’s National Executive Council meeting at the University of Abuja on November 13 and 14, ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, lamented that, despite meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, on October 14, 2021, on issues, including funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances, promotion arrears, renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, and the inconsistencies in Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System Payment, none of its demands had been met.

Following the threat, the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, promised that the union would be paid.

A few weeks after, ASUU suspended the planned strike, as N22.1 billion earned allowances were paid to lecturers in federal universities.

Daniel Adejo