ASUU threatens nationwide strike over 2009 agreement with govt

dimeji akinloye

August 31, 2016 12:57 AM

Sowande said that the union decided on the industrial action to ensure that the government addresses the pending demands.

ASUU threatens nationwide strike over 2009 agreement with govt

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said it will embark on a nationwide strike if the 2009 agreement it signed with the Federal Government is not implemented.

The ASUU Lagos Zone Coordinator, Prof. Olusoji Sowande, said this at a news conference on Tuesday, August 30, in Lagos.

He said that the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on funding of state universities, breaches of the conditions of service and re-negotiation of the agreement, are still pending. ‎

The coordinator also mentioned other demands like the exclusion of Nigerian universities from Pension Management Company and non-release of NEEDS Assessment Intervention Fund.

He said that funding of state universities earned academic allowance and renegotiation of the agreement ware part of the outstanding issues.‎Sowande recalled that the union had embarked on strike in 2012 and 2013 as part of the efforts to make the government implement the agreement, adding that the issues remained unresolved.

He said: "The review of the agreement should have been undertaken in 2012 and 2015 but that did not happen.‎

"The implication is that our union has shown enough patriotism and understanding on these matters in the last four years.

"We are perplexed and disappointed that both the Federal and State Governments are not responding to our consistent appeals to bring about genuine transformation in the education sector."

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He said that the 2009 agreement provided for a periodic review after every three years which has not been done.

According to him, embarking on strike has never been a favourable choice as the Students and ASUU members have always suffered the pains more.

dimeji akinloye