ASUU declares indefinite strike, says it’s to save public universities

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says its national executive council (NEC) has resolved to convert the roll-over strike into a “comprehensive, total and indefinite” strike. 

Emmanuel Osodeke, the president of the union, said this in a statement on Monday. 

Osodeke said the indefinite strike takes effect from 12:01am on Tuesday.

TheCable had earlier reported how most ASUU chapters voted that the strike, which has entered Day 196, should be extended.

On February 14, ASUU declared a one-month warning strike to protest the non-implementation of its demands by the federal government.

The union extended the strike by eight weeks on March 14, citing the government’s failure to fully address its demands.

It thereafter extended the strike by another 12 weeks on May 9. The union again extended the strike on August 1 by another four weeks “to give government more time to satisfactorily resolve all the outstanding issues”.

In the statement, Osodeke said the purpose of its strike action is to “save public universities”.

He added that the government has failed to satisfactorily address its demands.

“ASUU NEC noted with pains, its concerns for Nigerian students who are also our wards and foster children and condemned Government’s seeming indifference to their plights. The Union empathizes with the students, their parents, as well as other stakeholders (including our colleagues who are undertaking their higher degrees) in the universities. ASUU reaffirms its belief in the sanctity of a stable academic system,” the statement reads. 

“Were it within our control, our universities would never have been shut for one day! However, ASUU was forced into taking this painful decision to prevent members of the Nigerian children from the ruling class and their foreign collaborators from further destroying whatever is left of our public universities. We are all victims.

“We need the understanding, solidarity and sacrifices of all to ensure that every qualified Nigerian youth who cannot afford the cost of private university education or foreign studies has unhindered access to quality university education. ASUU strikes are aimed at saving public education, and ensuring that Governments (Federal and State) use our common patrimony to support quality public university education. This is our collective obligation.

“In view of the foregoing, and following extensive deliberations on the government’s response to the resolution of 14th February 2022 so far, NEC concluded that the demands of the union had not been satisfactorily addressed.

“Consequently, NEC resolved to transmute the roll-over strike to a comprehensive, total and indefinite strike action beginning from 12.01a.m. on Monday, 29th August 2022.”