Union may shut down varsities after reviewing FG agreement

The Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU strike is imminent again as union may decide to shut down government-controlled universities after reviewing its agreement with the Federal Government.

The union's National Executive Council meets this week to review the implementation of the Memorandum of Action (MoA) the government signed with them in September.

The government had agreed with ASUU on the MoA before the last industrial action was suspended that it will implement its agreed contents before the end of October.

Registration of the Nigerian University Pension Company NUPENCO was part of the agreement which the government promised would be taken care of two weeks after the suspension of the strike.

However, the Federal Government has reportedly defaulted in honouring the agreement as it has not issued a license for the registration of the company.

Meanwhile, government's failure to implement the agreement has stirred divided opinions among academics as some said they warned the union executives not to suspend the strike until the government started making payments.

ASUU President, Professor Abiodun Ogunyemi according to the Independent has however doused tension among the union members allaying their fear over the payment of the Earned Academic Allowance.

In a mail sent to the union members, the union president said the delayed payment of the EAA will be addressed.

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“Dear Comrades, the leadership of the union is aware of the palpable tensions on our campuses over the delay in the payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).

“It is therefore not a surprise that for the past three days, a circular dated 24 October, 2017, related to EAA, is already trending on some social media network/platforms.

“The leadership of the union can say categorically that the gaps/omissions in the said circular were addressed at a meeting with the Honourable Minister of Education last weekend.

“We have gone far on the matter and there should be results in a matter of days. Thank you.”

ASUU has recently announced it will start another strike in November if the government did not honour the agreement. This was the reason for the suspension of the last industrial action, but with the look of things, ASUU may begin another strike after the review.