The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has announced a four-week comprehensive and total strike with effect from today, February 14, 2022.
ASUU National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke announced this to journalists on Monday in Lagos after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union.
Members of the union’s National Executive Council had held marathon meetings since Saturday at the University of Lagos.
The union is demanding funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution.
Others demands include renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, and the inconsistencies in Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System Payment, et al.
The union had expressed grievances over the failure of the Federal Government to fulfill some of the agreements it made as far back as 2009.
On November 15, 2021, ASUU had given the federal government a three-week ultimatum over the failure to meet the demands.
The lecturers threatened to embark on another round of industrial action following perceived “government’s unfaithfulness” in the implementation of the Memorandum of Action it signed with the union, leading to the suspension of the 2020 strike action.
After the union’s National Executive Council meeting at the University of Abuja on November 13 and 14, ASUU President, Osodeke, lamented that despite meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, on October 14, 2021, none of its demands had been met.
Issues on the front bunner included funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution; promotion arrears, renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, and the inconsistencies in Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System Payment.
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.
On the heels of the union’s renewed agitations, the co-chairmen of the National Inter-religious Council, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar III, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Samson Ayokunle, visited President Muhammadu Buhari.
The visit concentrated focus on the lack of implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding the government signed with ASUU in 2009 and others.
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