Our demands not satisfactorily met says ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has disclosed that the Nigerian government has not fully met all the demands which forced the union to embark on strike since February 14, 2022.

The contending issues that led to the strike action include Funding for the Revitalisation of public universities; Earned Academic Allowances; Proliferation of public Universities; Visitation Panels/Release of White Papers; University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS); and Renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement.

“While appreciating the commendable efforts of the leadership of the House of Representatives and other patriotic Nigerians who waded into the matter, the National Executive Council (NEC) noted with regrets that the issues in dispute are yet to be satisfactorily addressed,” the Union said in a statement on Friday signed by Emmanuel Osodeke, its president.

The statement follows the emergency meeting of the NEC which reviewed developments since the Union declared an indefinite strike action on 29th August 2022.

The union explained that it decided to call off the strike in obedience to the ruling by the Appeal Court and appeals by President Muhammadu Buhari and intervention by other representatives of the government.

Read also: ASUU suspends 8-month-old strike conditionally

“The National Industrial Court in its wisdom gave an order compelling ASUU to resume work pending the determination of the substantive suit. Given the nature of the order, and in the opinion of our counsel, there was the need to appeal the interlocutory injunction granted against our Union at the Court of Appeal.”

“The Court of Appeal acknowledged the validity of the grounds of the Union’s appeal but still upheld the order of the lower court and ordered our Union to comply with the ruling of the lower court as a condition precedent for the appeal to be heard,” the statement read.

“NEC noted the series of meetings with the leadership of the House of Representatives led by the Hon. Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as well as intervention efforts of other well-meaning Nigerians both within and outside government and the progress made so far.

“NEC deliberated on the recommendations of the Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila-led Committee within the framework of the FGN/ASUU’s Memorandum of Action(MoA) of 2020,” according to the statement.

“However, as a law-abiding Union and in deference to appeals by the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, and in recognition of the efforts of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and other well-meaning Nigerians, ASUU NEC resolved to suspend the strike action embarked upon on 14th February 2022.”

“Consequently, all members of ASUU are hereby directed to resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on Friday, 14th October 2022,” the statement further read.”