• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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ASUU to call off strike if FG accepts UTAS – Osodeke

ASUU to seek legal action over half salaries, urges cooperation students

Emmanuel Osodeke, the national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has assured that the union will end the strike immediately the federal government endorses the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) payment platform for lecturers.

Osodeke said this on Monday, July 4, while speaking on Channels Television programme.

“Let government tell us they have finished testing the UTAS and sign the agreement, then tomorrow we will call off the strike.

“We challenge the government, when would they sign the agreement? When would they accept UTAS? These are the two questions we should ask Nigerian government,” he said.

The lecturers’ union says it can end its strike and resume on Tuesday, July 5, if the federal government accepts UTAS payment platform for their salaries in place of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), and addresses other major demands.

Osodeke, however, warned that the strike will continue unless government accept UTAS and honour the 2009 agreement

Read also: Students’ dreams in limbo as ASUU strike lingers

ASUU has been on strike since February 14 over the federal government’s failure to honour the 2009 agreement it entered with the union.

The union demands among other things the implementation of the 2009 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and 2020 Memorandum of Action (MoA) agreements which include that the condition of service of the tertiary institution lecturers to be reviewed every five years, issue of salaries and allowances, and revitalisation of public universities.

The ASUU strike which started with a warning strike on Monday, February 14, entered its 140th day on Monday, July 4.

Meanwhile, Chris Ngige, the minister for labour and employment, has disclosed that decisions will be made soon by President Muhammadu Buhari to finalise the controversy surrounding UTAS as well as the increment in the wage of university lecturers.

The minister stated this through a statement he issued on Sunday, June 26 stating that the inter-ministerial departments and agencies committees of the federal government would turn in their reports on Wednesday, June 29 to help in the decision of the president.