The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to address lingering issues that date back to 2009.
Addressing journalists on Monday in Calabar, the ASUU Calabar Zone Coordinator, Comrade Happiness Uduk, said the government would be held responsible for any disruption in industrial harmony within the nation’s universities due to its failure to meet the union’s demands.
“Our Union will withdraw services and should not be held responsible for the breakdown in industrial harmony which will arise as a result of the government’s insensitivity, insincerity, indifference, and time-buying tactics,” Uduk said.
“The Union calls on those in authority as well as their agents to seize this window so as to forestall the looming crisis.
“With a feeling of indignation, we regret to bore you with the cry of anger, frustration, and unfulfilled promises that have tirelessly bedeviled our struggle and have been front-burnt for several years.
The Calabar Zone of ASUU has called this Press Conference because of development or the lack of it as regards our engagements with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“As you are aware, in a letter dated 20th August 2024, the Union gave Government a 21-day ultimatum for the resolution of all the issues in contention since 2009.
“We categorically want to inform you that nothing tangible has changed safe for meetings and more meetings for which government agents were more concerned with receiving allowances for convening such meetings from tax-payers money and the funds that our Government claims it does not have.
We are compelled, therefore, to address you, gentlemen of the Press on the latest development or otherwise because of the inevitable and impending industrial action to press home our demands.
“As men of the fourth realm, to escalate the issues in order for those concerned to improve the already fragile industrial harmony in our tertiary institutions and save the education system from total collapse or risk yet another industrial action.
“Recall that in an open letter to the Federal Government, our Union in a bid to ensure that this legacy struggle is achieved for the good of Nigerians and Nigeria, had mentioned ten (10) issues in contention including the conclusion of the re-negotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Draft Agreement by the Nimi Briggs Committee in 2021, which is already out of date given the reality of the current Dollar/Naira ratio amongst others.
“The failure of governments to implement contents of several Memoranda of Understanding and Action between 2013 and 2022 has particularly hampered access to wholesome industrial harmony in public Universities especially as renegotiation has lingered for over seven years spanning the Babalakin-led team through Jubrin Munzali’s team and Emeritus Prof. Nimi Briggs’ Committee.
“The last two concluded renegotiation but government has not owned the said document nor implemented its contents. Since the inception of this government, all efforts to get them to adopt and implement the said Agreement have been frustrated.
“With the current economic realities, even the wage award and palliative cannot replace the renegotiated agreement which was reached following the time-tried and honored principle of Collective Bargaining.
“Presently, it is difficult for any University worker to tell his/her exact salary as it fluctuates every month while third-party deductions are withheld or released haphazardly with impunity and amputations.
“It is obvious this government is not interested in resolving lingering issues with our Union that is why like previous governments, its engagements with us are characterized by bottlenecks of bureaucracy, time-buying, documentation denial, lack of budgetary provisions rather compounding and complicating the already unpleasant relationship.
“In view of current realities in the dysfunctional relationship between Federal Government and ASUU, the Union resolved to give government 14 more days ultimatum to the earlier 21 days beginning from Monday, 23rd September, 2024 within which all issues must have been totally addressed to the satisfaction of our poorly-treated members.
“We hereby encourage members that though the road is rough, victory is assured because there is no going back.“
