ASUU to consider FG’s offer at NEC meeting next Monday
The PUNCH has learned that the National Executive Council of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, which is currently on strike, will convene on Sunday, August 28, 2022 to decide whether to stop or prolong the industrial action.
The union's national offices at the University of Abuja will host the meeting, sources among the NEC's members told our correspondent on Monday.
Our correspondent further learned that the council will decide on the industrial action based on information from the various state congresses.
The union had demanded that the ASUU-FGN 2009 agreement be renegotiated, that funds for university revitalization be released, that the University Transparency Accountability System be implemented for the payment of university lecturers' salaries and benefits, that earned allowances be released, and that the white paper report of the visitation panels to universities be made public.
“The NEC meeting will hold on August 28, the four weeks ultimatum that we gave is expiring that same day. We will be making our decisions based on the results of the state congresses.
“The NEC has to depend on the result of the congresses. The zones have held their own congresses; the branch chairmen will also talk to their members and they will get feedback which will be transmitted to the NEC,” one of the sources said.
The government had formed a negotiation team to explore talks with the unions in an effort to put a stop to the strike, and it was headed by Nimi Briggs, the pro-chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja.
The government and ASUU's talks have deadlocked, while SSANU, NASU, and NAAT have called off their strikes.
No Proscription
On Monday, the Federal Ministry of Education stated that it was unaware of any efforts to outlaw ASUU.
The ministry added that it was absurd for the union to have continued its strike in spite of the government's efforts.
This information was provided in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja by the ministry's spokesperson, Ben Goong.
According to media reports, the government intended to ban the union and take it to the National Industrial Court as a result of the walkout.
We are not aware of such plans, "Goong remarked. All of the updates were provided by the minister at his news conference with State House reporters. He would have made a note if there were any plans to take more action.
“As regards the next steps, the government has already inaugurated a committee to harmonise the IPPIS, UTAS and UP3; this will ensure that the government will pay with only one payment platform that will harmonise all the technical peculiarities.
“The government has also rolled out its achievements. A total of N2.5 trillion has been expended in the tertiary education sector in the past 10 years, that is even much more than the amount in the 2009 agreement. The issues about salary adjustment have also been attended to.
“If you bring some demands and almost 80% has been attended to, there is no need to drag the strike anymore. It is unreasonable for the strike to be lingering, seeing as the government has worked towards fulfilling most of the demands.
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