■ Inside story of the ASUU one-week ‘warning’ strike
By Gabriel Dike
The nation’s public universities currently look like a ghost town following the one-week ‘warning’ strike declared, last week, by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Many were caught unaware when Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, its National President, addressed newsmen to announce its intention to commence the ‘warning’ strike, following a meeting held by its National Executive Council (NEC), in Abuja, on Monday, November 14. This is because before this time some of its officials had been singing discordant tunes with some denying that the association was planning to embark on an industrial strike while others dropped the hint.
For instance, when, in October, the ASUU branch chairman of the University of Abuja, Mr. Ben Ugheoke, was quoted by a news agency to have said that university lecturers would commence strike in November, both the national body and the university branch of ASUU promptly denied the report.
Three months ago, the national leadership of the union including the zones addressed newsmen in Abuja, Lagos and other cities on government carefree attitude regarding the implementation of ASUU demands. The union said it was sensitising Nigerians on the plight of universities while lecturers used the occasion to appeal to concerned Nigerians to reach out to government to do the needful.
With the exception of some students and parents who begged President Muhammadu Buhari to accede to the demands of the union, neither the Federal Government nor the National Assembly did anything to engage the union in discussion throughout the three months of public sensitization.
But when it became clear that ASUU was determined to embark on what it called a warning strike, the government only reacted to the union threat less than 24 hours to the strike.
In the past six years, the association had consistently engaged, without success, various administrations to constitute government team that would help renegotiate the 2009 agreement. This resulted in two industrial actions in 2012 and 2013. Of recent, precisely on May 10, 2016, its leadership engaged the Buhari government through the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu. He promised to resolve the contentious issues within two weeks. So far, that has not happened.
ASUU SENSITIZATION
CAMPAIGN
The Coordinator of ASUU Lagos Zone, Prof Olusiji Sowande, told newsmen in September that the union made concerted efforts at getting government to address the issues but without success. “We consider it our patriotic duty to call the attention of government and Nigerians to these issues threatening the well-being and industrial peace in the nation’s public universities at this critical period,’’ he said. “We are perplexed and disappointed that the federal and state governments are not responding to our consistent appeals to bring about genuine transformation, driven by highly motivated human capital, in the education sector.”
Embarking on strike has never been a favoured choice, he insisted, given that “our members feel and suffer the most during and after every strike. It is unfortunate that the only language government appears to respect and listens to is, that of strike. Let it be known that our union has in the past made a lot of sacrifices. If it becomes inevitable it would once again sacrifice the comforts of its members to take up the patriotic duty of rescuing our education system.
“In order to forestall this avoidable crisis, we appeal to all genuinely progressive individuals and groups to prevail on the Nigerian government to arrest a brewing and potentially combustible situation in the Nigerian university system before it degenerates into a serious conflagration. This is an ill-wind that portends negative effects for all.’’
As it turned out, nobody seemed to have paid attention to Prof. Sowande’s cry.
Chairperson of ASUU UNILAG, Dr. Adelaja Odukoya disclosed that the federal government freely entered into the agreement with the union, which is binding on both parties, adding that in an effort to cause the government to fully implement the agreement, the union embarked on strike in 2012 and 2013, leading to the signing of the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding). As things stand, several aspects of the agreement are yet to be implemented, he said. They include implementation of Nigerian Universities Pension Management Company (NUPEMCO), release of Needs Assessment Intervention Fund, funding of state universities, earned academic allowance and renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.
ISSUES IN CONTENTION
ASUU National President, Prof Abiodun Ogunyemi disclosed that Nigerian universities based on the 2009 agreement required N1.300 trillion and in the signed MOU, government agreed to release intervention funds in six instalments starting with N200 billion in 2013, N220 billion each in the remaining five years (2014-2018). As at now, the third quarter of 2016, he stated, the government is in arrears of N605 billion.
“The implication is that government is not committed to the full implementation of this component of our agreement,” he said. “The funding crisis is seriously impacting negatively on the state of infrastructure and research facilities in our universities. This lack of commitment to improving the education sector of the country is further expressed in the decline in the budgetary allocation to education from 11 per cent in 2015 to eight per cent in 2016 as opposed to the 26 per cent UNESCO benchmark.’’
On state universities, Prof. Ogunyemi said the issue of irregular or non-payment of salaries and subvention in state universities is giving the union great concern adding that, “the practice of state governments withholding the salary of our members for a period ranging from three to eight months is condemnable.”
According to ASUU boss, the federal government has refused to release the outstanding balance of N128,250,692,596 billion meant for lecturers earned academic allowance, three years after the MOU was signed.
With regard to the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement which is the main contention, Prof Ogunyemi disclosed that the review of the document ought to have been done in 2012 and 2015 stressing that ASUU has shown understanding on the matter in the last four years. But now he warns: “Our members are frustrated and increasingly agitated by government’s apparent reluctance and foot-dragging on this matter. Government should act fast to forestall the impending consequences leading to industrial dispute.’’
THE ONE-WEEK
WARNING STRIKE
On Wednesday, last week, ASUU kept to its promise as its members nationwide began a warning strike which resulted in the disruption of academic, admission and research activities in state and federal universities. Some university managements were forced to postpone on-going examinations. Last minute efforts by the federal government and the National Assembly to get ASUU to shelve the strike hit the rock as lecturers in public universities heeded the directive of the National Executive Council (NEC) and went on with the strike.
Sources at the NEC meeting said there were four options presented by the branches: one week, two weeks, three weeks and dialogue but after deliberation, a compromise was reached for one week warning strike.
Following the strike, universities looked like ghost town as lecture halls were deserted. The few students who managed to come for lectures were disappointed as there were no lectures. In anger, they chided the government and ASUU for toying with their future and demanded for a quick resolution of the face-off.
Reports from various campuses indicate that lecturers heeded the directive of NEC as confirmed by their chairmen. The ASUU chairman, Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun state, Dr. Bayo Akinsanya told The Sun Education that after the congress on Tuesday, a letter was sent to the Vice Chancellor about the warning strike, meaning that no academic/meetings and research would hold on the campus.
At University of Ibadan, the 2016/2017 second semester examination was postponed as members stayed away from the exam halls. This fact was confirmed by the university branch chairman of ASUU, Dr. Deji Omole. He informed that at the congress held on Tuesday which was attended by the Vice Chancellor, deans and heads of department, members agreed to observe the strike and hoped the federal government would address their demands.
At the Lagos State University (LASU), the branch chairman, Dr. Isaac Oyewunmi confirmed that academic activities on the campus were paralysed as members of the union complied with the directive.
STUDENTS REACT
A 400 level English Language student of UNILAG, Samson (surname withheld) taxed the Buhari administration to address the demands of the lecturers to avert the real strike. “We are at the receiving end now,” he said. “For sometime now, ASUU has been pleading with government on the issues. But our lecturers should also understand that the current economic situation is affecting the government. I want the issues resolved.’’
A female student of LASU, Stella Nwachukwu, of Department of Microbiology, said the warning strike was unfortunate, as it would surely affect their academic programme. She urged the federal government to meet with ASUU leadership to discuss and reach agreement on contentious issues.
FG APPEAL TO ASUU
Less than 24 hours to the warning strike, the federal government made a passionate appeal to ASUU to put the action on hold. It appreciated ASUU’s patience since 2009, a statement issued by Mr. Ben Bem Goong, the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations Department of the Federal Ministry of Education noted while urging its members to “embrace dialogue in resolving the contentious issues at stake in the interest of students and their parents.”
“Our position to the proposed warning strike is not new,” he said. “We have been in a marathon meeting led by the Permanent Secretary on the issue. Government is working towards resolving the issues. We appreciate and understand ASUU’s patience but in the interest of the student, we beg that the strike be put on hold.’’