Following a fresh threat by the Academic staff union of universities, ASUU to embark on another nationwide after three weeks ultimatum, The federal government has reacted.
Recall that ASUU had given the federal government a grace of 3 weeks to address all agreements reached in December 2020.
The union national President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke gave the ultimatum at a briefing as part of resolution reached at the end of its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja.
ASUU’ s grievances include unpaid earned academic allowance and non-implementation of universities revitalisation fund.
ASUU had held several meetings with the federal government which have apparently yielded no results leading to the latest strike notice issued by the University lecturers.
Osodeke announced its readiness to embark on another round of industrial action following the ‘government’s unfaithfulness’ in implementation of the Memorandum of Action (MoU) it signed with the union upon which the last strike action was suspended.
He lamented that despite its meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige on 14th October 2021, on the major outstanding issues including funding for revitalization of public universities, earned academic allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) promotion arrears, renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, and the inconsistencies in IPPIS payment, the issues are still lingering.
However, reacting, the federal government it would not allow the union to embark on the strike threatened by the university lecturers on Monday.
The Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige made this known while appearing on Politics Today on Channels TV.
He noted that the federal government will begin the process of paying members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities their outstanding funds today.
He said, “The strike will not happen. For one, I know that the fund to pay with is there and the Ministry of Education has assured me that by Wednesday they would emanate letters to make sure that the disbursement reaches the accounts of the various universities. We are not paying the unions directly, it will get to the universities’ accounts.
“I will have a meeting with the Minister of State for Education who is the one in charge of the affairs now because the main minister (Adamu Adamu) is overseas on health grounds. I will evaluate the situation with him and we would make sure that the disbursement goes on.”
