The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan chapter, Wednesday asked the federal government to address the union’s demands before July 8, to avert another strike in the nation’s universities.
ASUU at a press conference in Ibadan by the chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter of the union, Prof. Ayoola Akinwole, said the federal government should stop destruction of Nigeria universities by addressing the contending issues raised by the union.
The union said if after the expiration of the four-week moratorium given to the federal government by the union on the contending issues nothing concrete is done, ASUU would have no other option than to go back to the trenches.
“Our union has resolved to give the government another 4 weeks, starting from 8 June, 2024, to address these contending issues. If after the expiration of this four-week moratorium, nothing concrete is done, ASUU would have no option than to go back to the trenches.
“Gentlemen of the press, this moratorium will expire on 8 July 2024. If, peradventure, the union declares a fresh industrial action, Nigerians should hold the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government responsible.
“We cannot fold our arms and allow the university system in Nigeria to be destroyed by successive transient governments. It is our historic duty as a union of intellectuals to defend the university education in Nigeria and protect knowledge- production for future generations.”
The ASUU chairman listed the contending issues expected to be addressed by the gederal government as funding for the Revitalisation of Public Universities based on the FGN ASUU MoU of 2012, 2013, and the MoA of 2017 and Illegal dissolution of governing councils in federal and state universities.
Others, according to the ASUU chairman included: “Release of the 3½ months of the withheld salaries, release of unpaid salaries of staff on sabbatical, adjunct etc due to IPPIS, release of third-party deductions, payment of earned academic allowances, proliferation for public universities and implementation of the reports of the visitation panels.
Professor Akinwole listed others as Implementation of UTAS in place of IPPIS and renegotiation of 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement. “Unfortunately, the Buhari administration refused to sign the agreement reached by a committee set up by it,” he stated.
