ASUU Latest News On ASUU Strike Today, Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Strike: We’ve resumed talks with FG, say ASUU, SSANU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions have said the Prof Nimi Briggs Committee is in negotiation with the unions.

Speaking in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday, the ASUU’s National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, said the union had been negotiating with the Briggs Committee since last week over its demands.

ASUU commenced its ongoing strike on February 14, 2022 after the Federal Government failed to meet some of its demands namely; the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution payment platform.

IDOMA VOICE recalls that on March 7, 2022, the Federal Government inaugurated a seven-man committee chaired by the Pro-Chancellor of Alex Ekweme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Prof Nimi Briggs.

The committee, which is expected to review the proposed FGN/ASUU Agreement, has its terms of reference, some of which include; to liaise and consult with relevant stakeholders to finalise the position of the FG to the issues in the draft proposed FGN/ASUU renegotiated agreement; renegotiate in realistic and workable terms the 2009 agreements with other university-based unions; and negotiate and recommend any other issue the committee deems relevant to reposition the National Universities Commission for global competitiveness.

Osodeke said, “We are discussing with the Federal Government through the renegotiation team and we started last week.

“The negotiation is between ASUU and the Briggs Committee and agreement should be negotiated quietly. When we reach an agreement, we will come to the press. We hope this approach/ negotiation will solve the problem so that by next week, we will brief Nigerians. Give us a little time.”

When asked if ASUU would call off the strike soon, Osodeke said, “We don’t know until we finish the negotiation.”

ASUP call off strike ( See resumption date)

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic(ASUP) has directed its members to resume work on Monday, May 30, 2022, following the expiration of its two-week strike.

The union said it took the decision following some progress made with the Federal Government regarding its demands.

ASUP, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Yalwa disclosed that the government had met four of its demands.

It said the decision to resume work was to give the federal government more time to meet the remaining five demands.

The statement reads: “The two weeks definite strike of the union will be rounding off on the 29th of May, 2022 as agreed by the emergency meeting of NEC.

“Consequently, the union is requesting

members to resume duties effective 30th of May, 2022 while hoping that government will take advantage of the window to address the five outstanding items.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said that despite the non-payment of salaries to its members, the union remains undaunted in its struggle for a better university system.

Speaking to our correspondent on Friday, the Chairman of the union’s branch at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Dr. Adeola Egbedokun, confirmed to The PUNCH that the Federal Government stopped paying the salaries of striking lecturers since March 2022.

Dr. Egbedokun said, “The last time they paid us was February. Since March, they stopped paying the salaries.”

Another lecturer at the institution also confirmed the non-payment of the salaries.

Speaking further, Dr. Egbedokun said, “We’re used to it. The non-payment of salaries cannot break us.”

When asked about the next move of the union over the ongoing strike and the minimum wage arrears reportedly paid to the lecturers, the Chairman said that the wage arrears were statutory by the law and had nothing to do with their current agitations, saying, “If you observe, ASUU has not said anything about it, we decided not to, it is not the crux of our agitation.”

“What we’re expecting the government to do now is to come forward with a proposal, in response to the submitted renegotiated document, which has been with the government since May 2021. This time, we’re not signing or interested in any Memorandum or Agreement again. Let them come forward with a proposal in response to the renegotiated document, and let’s see how we can consider it.”

Strike: ASUU Reveals Next Line Of Action, Sympathizes With Students.

The National President, Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, on Thursday noted that the union would not call off the industrial action if the federal government refuse to attend to their demand.

ASUU in its demands has called for the renegotiation of the ASUU/FG 2009 agreement and the sustainability of the university autonomy by deploying UTAS to replace the government’s “imposed” (IPPIS).

Also, in its demands is the release of the reports of visitation panels to federal universities, distortions in salary payment challenges, funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowance, poor funding of state universities and promotion arrears.

Osodeke on Thursday said there won’t be a need to call off the strike despite the federal releasing N34 billion for the payment of consequential adjustment for a minimum wage of workers in the education system.

He further stated that the N34 billion released was not part of their demands.

Osodeke also sympathised with university students over the prolonged strike by the union.

According to Osodeke, the students are suffering for Nigeria’s future and education system.

The ASUU president said the students were not being punished but paying the price to ensure that Nigeria had a good education.

ASUU: FG Agrees To Pay N34bn Minimum Wage Arrears

The Federal Government says it will spend about N34 billion as arrears of Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustments in the education sector effective from 2019.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige said that this was aimed at resolving the lingering crisis in the sector, NAN reports.

Ngige made this known while speaking with newsmen on the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and others on Tuesday in Abuja.

ASUU/FG Faceoff: NANS threatens shutdown of major airports

NANS South West Zone Coordinator, Mr Adegboye Olatunji, made this known in Abuja on Monday, at a protest to the All Progressive Congress (APC) Secretariat in solidarity with Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun to run for a second term.

Olatunji said that it was time both parties came together to resolve the issues leading to the strike as students were at the receiving end.

“We are planning to block government organisations that generate money for them if the ASUU issue is not resolved.

We won’t resume – ASUU insists

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has insisted that its members won’t resume work despite the Federal Government’s payment of minimum wage arrears.

This [was contained in a circular by the University of Lagos branch of the union titled, ‘Payment of minimum wage arrears’.

The chairman of UNILAG ASUU, Dele Ashiru, confirmed the authenticity of the circular on Saturday.