Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, ASUU President,
Richard Elesho
The hope of an early resolution of the industrial dispute between the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU and the Federal Government, FG has been dashed. The union has extended its warning strike for another two months.
The union’s National Executive Council, NEC met over the weekend in Abuja to discuss the way forward over the industrial action as it could not receive a positive response from the Federal Government over its demands.
After hours of deliberation, the union decided to extend the strike by two months. Although the union has not made any public statement regarding the outcome of the meeting, a source said members resolved at the meeting held in an undisclosed location that the industrial action is extended eight weeks.
The outcome of the meeting according to reports was being drafted to be released in a statement to the media soon.
The News reports that ASUU embarked on four weeks warning strike in February. The warming strike should have ended today, 14 March. Every efforts to see the teachers back to the classroom have thus far, ended in a stalemate.
Last week the FG inaugurated a committee to review the 2009 agreement, one of the reasons ASUU dropped tools.
Below is a statement by the ASUU President:
*STRIKE ROLLED OVER FOR EIGHT (8) WEEKS*
ASUU NEC met on Sunday the 13th of March, 2022 to evaluate the response of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the outstanding issues of the review of our conditions of service and the deployment of UTAS amongst other issues for which our Union had declared a one-month rolling strike to compel the Federal Government to act on.
At the close of the meeting, NEC was convinced that the Federal Government had not done anything tangibly sufficient to warrant the suspension of the strike. So NEC resolved to roll it on for an additional eight (8) weeks with effect from midnight of Sunday the 13th of March, 2022 to provide the Federal Government enough time to fulfil the timelines they have set for the resolution of the issues.
For the avoidance of doubt, the strike remains total and comprehensive. Consequently, there shall continue to no teaching, supervision, statutory meetings (Faculty/College/Departmental Board, or Senate), inaugural lectures, convocation and matriculation ceremonies.
Congress shall be convened at 9:00 on Tuesday the 15th of March for the communication of the details of NEC deliberation.
*The Union counts on everyone of us.*
*WE SHALL OVERCOME!*
Yours in the struggle,
Professor V. E. Osodeke
(President)
