ASUU: Blame FG if Planned Strike Paralyses Academic Activities in Varsities

•Says FG owing some lecturers 10 months salaries over IPPIS

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti and David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said the federal government can only stop the nationwide strike being planned by the union if all their demands are met, stressing that the federal government should be blamed if academic activities are paralysed in the nation’s universities.

ASUU lambasted the state universities across the country for owing several months’ salary arrears of academic workers, accusing the chief executives of diverting monies released by the Tertiary Education Trust Funds for facilities and researches to frivolous ventures, thereby leaving the lecturers and students to suffer.

Addressing journalists at the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, the Akure Zonal Coordinator, ASUU, Prof. Olufayo Olu-Olu, said the proposed strike became imperative following federal government’s failure to implement the agreement reached with the union in 2009.

In a related development, ASUU, Owerri zone also warned the federal government of a looming industrial action, over the non-fulfilment of its 2009 agreement with the union.

The Akure zonal coordinator, who presides over OAU, FUTA and EKSU, said the federal government had been insincere and deceptive by reneging on the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed with ASUU on December 23, 2020.

Calling for swift interventions of the students’ body, parents, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders in education sector, Olu-Olu added that the proposed industrial action would be long and total until all issues raised are addressed.

“We are here again today to inform and sensitive the Nigerian populace and the stakeholders especially our student on the looming dangers of present attitude of the government toward our union as it bother on various Memoranda signed but unimplemented by the government since 2009.

“It is rather unfortunate that government has to stretch ASUU beyond its elastic limit on this. To accept negotiation on every issue and for the agreement to be reached, strike must be embarked upon. The implementation of such agreement be it MoA or MoU would only see light of the day after series of action,” he added.

While lamenting the deplorable state of public universities in the country, Olu-Olu, said the release of revitalisation fund to the ivory towers would address the sorry state of infrastructures in the campuses.

“Perhaps the most worrisome aspect of the agreement is the issue of state Universities. The way both the Federal and state government are glossing over the issue of state universities call for attention.

“The fight for the revitalisation of public universities has made state government to fall into a deep sleep while relying on our union as miracle worker to probably die on the battlefield as they divert funds meant for revamping respective states’ universities into other less profitable ventures.

“Contrary to believe in some quarters, this money is not meant to be shared by members of the union. Rather it is meant to save our public universities from an imminent collapse,” he added.

On its part, the Owerri zone of ASUU during a press conference held at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and addressed by its zonal coordinator, Mr. Uzo Onyebinama said it was shameful that the federal government deliberately decided to jettison the more acceptable means of payment, Universities Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

Onyebinama in the press conference attended by leaders of the union in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State University, Owerri, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, said the use of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) by the federal government shut out some lecturers from receiving their salaries for as long as 10 month.

“Today, while we were holding our zonal meeting, a lecturer came to us to complain that for 10 months now he has not received his salaries. It is still a wonder to us that federal government decided against using UTAS, despite having been subjected to manner of tests and has scaled through.

“We have called you all here to tell you that we are saddened that having reached the end of the tunnel, we couldn’t find any light. The agents of the federal government have reneged from implementing the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement.

“As we speak the federal government is in arrears of major components of the agreement, and that includes funding for the revitalization of public universities, earned academic allowances, and the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.”

The union said the introduction of IPPIS further compounded their woes as it resulted in mutilated salaries, promotion arrears, and the non-resolution of the more favoured UTAS.

Onyebinama said the consequence of the federal government’s refusal to implement the 2009 agreement is that the union has resolved to go on an indefinite strike any moment, adding that once it begins, it will not stop until all agreements are fulfilled.

“We are being driven once again by the intransigence of the agents of the federal government of Nigeria to once again truncate teaching and research activities in our universities nationwide.

“The magnanimity of ASUU that resulted in various MOUs and MOAs arising from the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement has been spurned by the federal government.

“We cannot say when the strike will start because we need to take our time to prepare, but once we start, there will be no looking back. We once again alert Nigerians that unless FG strives to sincerely resolve these issues, there will be no rest for all of us,” he added.