Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on rather long strike action over alleged non-implementation of the agreement reached between it and the federal government.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Friday, the leadership of the Ibadan zone of the union, led by its zonal coordinator, Professor Oyebamiji Oyegoke, called on Nigerians in all strata to intervene “at this critical moment before our members withdraw their services”.
The press interaction, which was on the sideline of the celebration of the Human Rights Day on December 10, was used to press home full implementation of the 2020 MoA agreement comprising;
(i) Funding for Revitalization of Public Universities.
ii) Payment of Earned Academic Allowances
iii) Withheld Salaries and Promotion Arrears
iv) Renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement
(v) Inconsistencies in IPPIS Payment
(vi) University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS)
“Our baseline is a full implementation of the 2020 MOA agreement freely signed between the federal government and the union. This calls for a lot of concern. There’s no commitment to an agreement entered into. Government is not sensitive to the welfare of workers. That’s why we’re using these channels to sensitize people so that they don’t see us as using the strike as the only tool of fighting for our demands.
“While we commend interventions of notable Nigerians in the matter, however, it should be stated here that it is about actions and not deliberations. These are no new demands. Some of our members have not been paid salary since December last year and they’re still working. It shows commitment on our part”, he said.
Professor Oyegoke, who accused the federal government of insincerity in fulfilling its part of the agreement, condemned piecemeal implementation of the contentious issues in the MoA of 2020
