By Gabriel Dike and Seye Ojo, Ibadan
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has told President Muhammadu Buhari that the union does not need promises, but implementation of agreements between the union and Federal Government.
Chairman and Secretary of the union at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) branch, Biodun Olaniran and Toyin Abegunrin respectively, stated this in a statement after a congress of the union.
President Buhari last week promised to ensure university lecturers don’t embark on strike. He made the pledge when he met with members of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council.
The union said one week after the president promised his administration will ensure university lecturers don’t go on strike, the Federal Government is yet to take step to meet the demands nor has it invited ASUU leadership to a meeting to resolve the outstanding issues.
The union said it was tired with the insincerity of the President Buhari administration over failure to fully implement the agreements reached with the union
According to Olaniran and Abegunrin, who reacted to the promise of President Buhari that he would fulfil agreements reached with the union, the ASUU leaders said promises cannot replace implementation of the agreements.
ASUU said government has refused to sign what will make the welfare of lecturers to be better and employing merry-go-round tactics.
According to them, their members have resolved to embark on an indefinite strike since government was not ready to do the needful.
Ahead of the mobilisation of members and sensitisation of the public for the strike, National Executive Council (NEC) would meet this week at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to take a position on the next line of action.
Some ASUU branch chairmen told Daily Sun that President Buhari could only be taken serious if within the period of his statement and before the next NEC meeting, the demands are implemented.
The chairmen told Daily Sun that following the president’s statement, the union looked forward to positive respond to the face-off between ASUU and the Federal Government.
Former coordinator, Ibadan zone, Ade Adejumo, said if the president is serious with his statement, he would have done something tangible to resolve the face-off.
UNILAG branch Chairman, Dele Ashiru, confirmed the directive of NEC for branches to hold congress and sensitised members on the impending strike.
While asking Nigerians to prevail on government to avert the impending strike, the union said it has allowed many stakeholders to talk to government, saying government is portraying the union as a dog that can only bark but not bite.
“ASUU is using this medium to call upon the Federal Government, once again, to implement the agreements signed with ASUU.
“It is unfortunate to mention that the Federal Government signed agreements with ASUU since 2009 but the agreements are not implemented till date.”