ASUU won’t call off strike until demands are met – Prof. Ogunyemi.
– Steve Ovirih.
Hopes of an early resumption for University undergraduates in Nigeria still remain hazy as the lingering industrial action embarked on by University lecturers does not seem to be nearing its end anytime soon. According to ASUU President, Prof. Abiodun Ogunyemi, the lecturers can’t return to work on empty stomach and they can’t leave their family members hungry while they return to classes to teach other people’s wards.
In his reaction while fielding questions from the press, the academic from University of Ibadan said some of the demands of ASUU to Federal Government had specific time with which government was expected to grant and up till date , government has not effected implementation.
On the issues of resumption of academic activities, Prof. Ogunbiyi said the body is consulting across the country with its members and at the appropriate time, the minister will be intimated with the outcome of their consultation.
Prof Abiodun stressed that salary of ASUU members withheld by government over the months have not been paid as promised even though it was resolved at the negotiation that it will be paid up
Ogunyemi urged Government to be faithful to the execution of promises made to ASUU as this expression of good faith alone can fasttrack the suspension of the strike by the University lecturers.
It will be recalled that Federal Government has offered to pay forty billion naira Earned Allowances of ASUU members and another thirty billionaire as revitalization fund for the university system. In the same vein , Government also agreed to pay the arrears of salaries of ASUU members before December 2020. A major cause of the industrial dispute was the attempt by Federal Government to include University lecturers in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System ( IPPS) and Government has agreed that ASUU will be exempted from the platform until the approval of ASUU’s proposed payment system, University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS).
Abiodun Ogunyemi said while Government is concerned about the suspension of ASUU strike, Government should show more commitment to fulfilling their end of the ASUU/ FG bargain.
