The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday announced the commencement of a four-week nationwide strike.
ASUU president, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja.
The decision was taken after a long national executive council meeting of the association which began on Sunday (February 13) evening at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
Osodeke said the industrial action, which takes effect from Monday, February 14, 2022, would be comprehensive and total and last for an initial period of four weeks.
“NEC resolved to embark on the four-week roll-over total and comprehensive strike as the government has failed to implement the Memorandum of Action it signed with the ASUU in December 2020.
“We invite all lovers of education to join our struggle for a greater Nigeria. Nigerian politicians keep proliferating educational institutions without prioritising education.
“ASUU will not relent in its historic responsibility of advocating for an improved university system.
“This is because it holds the key to our collective prosperity and better future for our children and our children’s children; so, let us work together to fix it,” he said.
Osodeke asked the federal government to call the vice-chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, to order over the unpaid Earned Academic Allowances of its members in the university.
“We have an agreed template with the federal government but the vice chancellor refused to pay. Failure to pay using that template is a misappropriation. He should be cautioned,” the Osodeke added.
He lamented that the union’s demands on the revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances, university transparency accountability solution (UTAS) promotion arrears, renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, and inconsistencies in Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS) payments have been neglected after meetings with minister of labour and employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.
The union had also earlier issued a three-week ultimatum to the federal government, urging it to address all pending issues to avert another round of strike.
The latest action is a continuation of a nine-month strike that grounded academic activities 2020 for the same reasons.
The demands of the lecturers’ union have barely changed since the signing of the ASUU/FG 2009 agreement.
These demands include the sustainability of the university autonomy, which the union said the introduction of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) for the payment of its emoluments violates. The union seeks its replacement with its own University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).
Other demands include the endorsement of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, which it said was concluded in May, 2021; release of the reports of visitation panels to federal universities and distortions in salary payment challenges.
ASUU also demands funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowance, improved funding of state universities and promotion arrears.
