New Telegraph

ASUU set for another strike over pact default by FG

 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) has said it might be compelled to embark on another strike if the Federal Government fails to implement the December 22, 2020 Memorandum of Action (MoA).

 

The Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Fred I. Esumeh, disclosed this to newsmen in Benin while speaking on “Another Inevitable Round of Crisis in Nigerian Universities”.

 

Esumeh, who did not disclose when the strike would commence, said they await the decision of the national body to give the directive. He said the strike was declared on March 23, 2020 over the Federal Government’s failure to honour the terms of the February 7, 2019 MoA in which it agreed to conclude the details of the renegotiations of the FG-ASUU 2009 agreement.

 

Esumeh added that the issues of the Federal Government’s delay in using the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as payment platform for lecturers and non-payment of the due tranche of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) still remain unattended to.

 

Others are the non-release of the earlier agreed N40 billion for the revitalisation of public universities, government’s unwillingness to sign the draft of the renegotiated 2009 agreement, continued non-payment of promotion arrears, non-payment of withheld salaries and non-remittance of deducted checkoff of the union.

 

The coordinator said on August 2, ASUU and the Federal Government met, with the Executive Secretary, National University Commission (NUC), Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and others in attendance, where government assured the body that all the outstanding issues would be fully addressed on August 31.

 

He lamented that government had yet to implement any of the agreements. Esumeh insisted government has all it takes to pay the N40 billion revitalisation fund, meet ASUU’s needs.

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