Another ASUU strike looms

By Damola Emmanuel

Nigeria’s university system is set to suffer another major disruption in its academic calendar as the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, on Wednesday, threatens another showdown with the federal government over the latter’s reluctance to implement the 2019 Memorandum of Action which it committed to.

And should this happen, ASUU said Nigerians should not hold its members accountable for the impending disruption. Rather, they should heap the blame on the federal government which has continued its hide-and-seek game with the union.

Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, National President of ASUU, revealed this at a press briefing in Abuja, where he updated journalists on the ongoing renegotiation with the government. He also disclosed that the press parley aimed at removing the haze over the N25billion which the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said had been approved for universities.

The ASUU boss stated categorically that the N25billion was a part-payment of the Earned Academic Allowances which ought to have been released between February 15 and 28, 2019, as agreed by both parties.

But Ogunyemi said this was not done, declaring: “Since information on the amounts mentioned in the media went round, the ASUU has been inundated with enquiries on the union’s perspective to the story.

“Funding for the revitalisation of public universities has for years been of very high priority to ASUU.

“Reaching an agreement with the Federal Government has often been a frustrating journey for our union. It is often marked with protests, strikes and requires a conscious and focused engagement. The 2001 agreement, which gave birth to the 2009 agreement, was not an exemption. The exception here is the personality leading the government negotiation team.

“The current leadership of the government team clearly lacks the academic disposition and humility needed to undertake such task.

“Our members enjoy their work and hate to see any disruption in the smooth running of our universities. However, the level of frustration occasioned by the lackadaisical attitude of the government towards meeting the terms of the 2019 Memorandum of Action that was freely signed with our union is increasingly becoming unbearable.

“We, therefore, call on all Nigerian patriots, parents and students including the Nigeria Labour Congress to prevail on the government to keep to the terms of our agreement. Otherwise, our union should not be held responsible for any disruption in the system.”