Breach of agreements: ASUU threatens fresh nationwide strike
Maureen Aguta
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned the Federal Government over the impending strike and threat to industrial harmony and academic stability of the Nigerian University system.
The university lecturers’ body accused the Federal Government of insensitivity to the plight of the lecturers and the rot confronting public universities in the country.
According to ASUU, with the failed expectations concerning the issues that have been at the forefront of the union’s recent strikes, and the terrible working conditions in which Nigerian academics languish, the union may be left without an alternative to declare a fresh nationwide strike for government to implement their demands.
Addressing journalists on Saturday at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the ASUU Lagos Zone Coordinator, Prof Adelaja Odukoya, said the press conference by the Zone, comprising seven universities, was to call the attention of Nigerians to the government’s consistent insensitivity to implement agreements reached with the union since 2009, and the well-being of patriotic scholars in Nigerian public universities.
“ASUU is now calling on the Federal Government to implement the various agreements signed with the union, and more importantly to appeal to well-meaning Nigerians to intervene by prevailing on the government before ASUU takes the alternative option, which is strike,” the union said.
Expressing dismay over the terrible working conditions of Nigerian academics, Odukoya stated: “As a matter of fact, despair is on the rise, as many academics languish under the terrible working conditions, while many have either passed away or are currently undergoing life-threatening illnesses that are primarily induced by poverty and enslaving working conditions.”
He regretted that the lecturers’ salary was last reviewed in 2009, with a Professor today earning an average of $213 a month given the current exchange rate, saying the governing class in the country appears committed to willful miseration of Nigerian academics with all the possible consequences for the nation’s future.
ASUU, which frowned at President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government’s violation of promises to the union, urged the President to promptly revisit the Nimi Briggs-led Renegotiated Draft Agreement for signing and implementation based on the current realities given today’s exchange rate that has made nonsense of the agreed salaries fir academics.
On the payment of four months salary out of the seven and half months owed the lecturers, ASUU said the “tokenism” calls for no celebration, but is unfeeling and highly insensitive given the economic hardship in the country.
ASUU said: “The government has persisted in inflicting misery on lecturers and students in Nigeria, despite their sincere efforts to elevate our public universities to global standards.”