The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on Nigerians to hold the Bola Tinubu-led government accountable for any industrial action that the lecturers may be forced to take due to unresolved issues with the federal government.
This was made known in a press statement signed by Adeola Oyebisi Egbetokun, the Akure Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, and released on Thursday.
The union had already issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government, which began on Wednesday, demanding the resolution of their longstanding grievances or risk a nationwide strike.
ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) met at the University of Ibadan, where it resolved to issue the ultimatum following a previous 21-day notice given to the federal government to address several critical issues affecting the education sector.
In a letter dated August 20, 2024, addressed to the Minister of Education, ASUU outlined the problems that had yet to be resolved, despite numerous negotiations.
The union emphasized that the core issues driving their ultimatum include the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement of 2021.
The Briggs Committee, formed during the Buhari administration, had presented recommendations to improve university staff welfare and the overall functioning of the sector, but the agreement has not been signed by the government.
In addition, ASUU is demanding the release of withheld salaries for the three-and-a-half months during their 2022 strike and the unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments.
The lecturers claim these were unfairly affected by the government’s Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
Other concerns include the funding for the revitalization of public universities and the payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), which were supposedly allocated in the 2023 federal budget but have not yet been paid out.
The lecturers also noted their dissatisfaction with the proliferation of new universities by federal and state governments without corresponding investments in the existing institutions.
In its statement, ASUU accused the current administration of continuing the failed policies of the Buhari-led government, which led to frequent strikes and disruptions in the Nigerian university system.
The statement read, “Ahmed Bola Tinubu and his co-travellers have chosen the same path as his predecessor. It is unfortunate that the ruling class does not care whether universities thrive or not.”
ASUU noted that many highly qualified Nigerian academics have left the country for “greener pastures” due to the “lackadaisical attitude” of the government towards the education sector.
The lecturers expressed frustration with the government’s refusal to address the 2021 Nimi Briggs-led renegotiated draft agreement, describing it as an essential step to restoring their “eroded dignity” and ensuring peace in the country’s universities.
ASUU also asserted that despite funds being allocated in the federal budget for EAA payments and the revitalization of universities, the government has failed to disburse these funds.
In light of the government’s failure to meet their demands within the initial 21-day ultimatum, ASUU announced an additional 14-day extension starting Monday, September 23, 2024.
This period, they said, is a final opportunity for the government to resolve the issues or face industrial action.
The union stressed that it should not be held responsible for any resulting industrial disharmony, placing full responsibility on President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
