Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan
The end of the three month strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, seems not in view based on information filtering out from the nationwide referendum conducted by the chapters of the union to decide on whether to suspend the strike or not.
In adherence to the directive of the national leadership of the union on Monday February 4, 2019, chapters of the union in the public universities nationwide on Tuesday February 5, 2019 conducted a referendum to decide on whether to suspend the ongoing 3-month strike or not.
The national leadership of the Union had directed its Zonal coordinators to meet with their Branch chairpersons to conduct the referendum on the offers of government
It was gathered that over 200 members of the University of Ibadan, UI, chapter of the Union who attended the congress voted for the continuation of the strike, while a little above 50 voted for its suspension with conditions.
According to one of the ASUU members, the members who voted did not even consider the third option which states that the strike action should be suspended with conditions.
In a telephone chat with the UI ASUU Chairman, Dr Deji Omole stated that the congress only conducted referendum on the offers of government saying the congress is the principal which guides the leadership of the union on their struggle.
On the new offers, Omole stated that government promised to mainstream the earned academic allowances into salaries from 2019.
He also hinted that government said as a sign of good faith, it would release N25 billion for the revitalisation of universities, while the rest would be defrayed after identifying sources to fund it.
Omole added that government agreed to pay additional N5 billion to make the earned academic allowances N25 billion out of the N105 billion being owed.
But he said ASUU wanted government to pay N30 billion.