THE REASONS OF ASSU STRIKE NOV,2018

Noble ICE

The Academic Staff Union of Universities in Nigeria, ASUU, says it has commenced a “total and comprehensive indefinite” strike due to the federal government’s failure to fulfill the 2009 agreement made with the union. Briefing journalists on Monday after an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council held at the University of Abuja, ASUU president, Biodun Ogunyemi, said the industrial action began Sunday, August 13. He said during the strike period, there will be no teaching, examination or attendance of statutory meeting of any kind in any of ASUU’s branches till the government meets the union’s demands. Among the issues ASUU has raised this time are the 2009 agreement and 2013 MOU are; funding for the revitalization of public universities; earned academic allowances; registration of Nigerian universities pension management company and pension matters; university staff school, fractionalisation and non payment of salaries among others. The union called on Nigerians to prevail on owners of public universities to be alive to their responsibilities.

The ASUU president said the Wale Babalakin negotiation committee lacked powers to resolve the issue as there were unimplemented items in the 2009 Agreement. “Issues outside Babalakin’s negotiation committee are what we discussing. We are saying that government did not continue the implementation of the existing issues from 2009 Federal government ASUU agreement. Government have abandoned implementation,” he said. Mr. Ogunyemi said the government had ignored the education system, while the political class send their wards to private universities and universities abroad leaving public universities in Nigeria to collapse. “Primary and secondary school system has already collapse in Nigeria but not all Nigerians have the funds to send their wards to private schools,” he said. He said for continued productivity, employers must fulfill the minimal obligation of paying their workers’ salaries correctly and as when due.However, according to Punch, ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi has on Wednesday, September 26, 2018, said that he could not ask lecturers to join the nationwide industrial action without an approval from the ASUU executives and trustees. ASUU President Prof Biodun Ogunyemi says he can't singlehandedly ask Nigerian University lecturers to join the NLC strike. (Punch Newspaper) ALSO READ: Covenant University is now among top 700 universities in the world He said, “we are part of the NLC. We are an affiliate of the NLC. But we are waiting for the final decision and we are consulting. I am also consulting with the ASUU leadership.” Meanwhile, lecturers in Imo state have reportedly announced their readiness to join the strike on Wednesday, September 26, 2018 during a press conference at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. Pulse also reports that the ASUU's chapter in Lagos at a press briefing at the University of Lagos reportedly rejected the N20bn the Federal Government released on Monday, September 24, 2018, to fund Nigerian Universities.

The union at a press briefing at the University of Lagos, UNILAG on Tuesday, September 25, 2018, rejected the offer describing it as a blackmail. Ogunyemi also said the union will not back down in its efforts to sanitise the university system in the country, saying the government the should do the needful or the union goes on strike again. Bauchi Poly will not join the NLC strike However, the Chairman, of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) Abubakar Tatari-Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi, Bala Mohammed has said that the polytechnic will not join the NLC strike because the labour union did not brief ASUP about the industrial action. Mohammed said this on Wednesday, September 26, 2018, at a news conference in Bauchi.