Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared a comprehensive, total and indefinite strike beginning from 12.01a.m, on Monday, 29th August following the inability of government to meet its demands.
This was the outcome of the emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU held an at the Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja, on Sunday, in Abuja.
A statement by the National President of ASUU Professor Emmanuel Osodeke says the meeting was called mainly to review developments since its last resolution that rolled over the nationwide strike action for another four weeks.
According to Professor Osodeke, the National Executive Council of ASUU observed with regret that the Union had experienced a lot of deceit of the highest level in the last five and half years as the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) engaged ASUU in fruitless and unending negotiation without a display of utmost fidelity.
Professor Osodeke explained that, in 2017, the Federal Government constituted a committee to renegotiate the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement under the chairmanship of Dr. Wale Babalakin.
After three years of fruitless negotiation, Dr. Babalakin was replaced in December 2020 with Professor Emeritus Munzali Jibril.
He said the Renegotiation Committee produced and submitted a draft agreement to the Federal Government in May, 2021.
The ASUU National President noted with sadness that, until 14th February, 2022 when the ongoing strike commenced, the Federal Government made no significant efforts to either sign the agreement or commence implementation.
Professor Osodeke said it was only after the commencement of the ongoing strike that the Federal Government reconstituted the committee with Professor Emeritus Nimi Briggs appointed Chairman to lead the Government Team.
Professor Osodeke affirmed that NEC was utterly disappointed in agents of Government, especially the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu for the deliberate falsehood and misrepresentation of facts aimed at scoring cheap political gains.
He said ASUU NEC noted with pains, the concerns of Nigerian students who are also their wards and foster children and condemned Government’s seeming indifference to their plights.
The Union empathized with the students, their parents, as well as other stakeholders including colleagues who are undertaking their higher degrees) in the universities.
He said ASUU reaffirms its belief in the sanctity of a stable academic system.
RN