ASUU suspends strike, asks lecturers to resume on Friday

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reached an agreement with the federal government to end the over three months strike.

The agreement was reached and a deal was signed at a meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

Chris Ngige, minister of labour, led the government’s delegation while Abiodun Ogunyemi, president of ASUU, led the ASUU team.

Ngige listed some of the agreements reached to include the Nigeria University Pension Company, constitution of visitation panels, short fall in salaries, earned academic allowance and revitalisation funds for universities.

He added that while the union had already collected the certificate for NUPENCO, government had made money available for the payment of the shortfall in salaries as well as earned academic allowances.

He also said the government had agreed to release N25 billion as revitalisation fund between April and May 2019 after which it will commence full implementation of the 2009 agreement, while allowances of lecturers of University of Ilorin is to be paid immediately.

Addressing reporters, Ogunyemi announced that the leadership of the union had agreed to suspend the strike action immediately beginning from Friday,” he said.

“Based on the initial proposals from government, the union made extensive consultations through its various organs. The final level of consultation was the meeting of the national executive council (NEC) which took place between 6th and 7th February, 2019.

“NEC resolved that: Following a careful review of the report of engagements with the Federal Government on proposals for addressing all outstanding in the 2013 M011 and 2017 MoA, NEC resolved that the current strike action by the Union should be suspended conditionally with effect from 12.01 am on Friday 8, February, 2019.”

He said the union would not hesitate to down tools if government renege on the agreements.

Ogunyemi some unidentified vice-chancellors attempted to frustrate the efforts of the union, condemning the action of the VCs

“However, should government fail to fulfill its part of the agreement as reflected in the 2019 Memorandum of Action, ASUU shall resume its suspended strike action as the union deems necessary,” he said.

“ASUU notes, with serious concern, the covert and overt roles of some vice Chancellors in the management and application of funds attracted by our Union to Nigeria’s public universities. Consequently, we condemn, in the strongest terms, Vice-Chancellors who have made efforts to undermine and, in some cases, attempted to break our patriotic struggles for the revitalization of public universities in Nigeria.

“ASUU will not shy away from taking headlong those Vice-Chancellors who are reputed for acts of impunity, nepotism and other forms of conduct which are antithetic to university culture and the progressiye development of our universities. Our union will compile all their shenanigans and forward them to relevant authorities for further action.”