By Gabriel Dike
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yesterday, converted the ongoing six-month rollover strike to an indefinite industrial action.
The decision was taken by the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUU, which ended yesterday morning. The implication is that public universities would remain shut.
The NEC meeting, which involved principal officers, zonal coordinators and branch chairmen decided to declare total, comprehensive and indefinite strike.
Earlier, ASUU branch congresses had voted for the continuation of the industrial action and the decision was taken to NEC meeting for ratification.
ASUU had on February 14 declared four-week strike, the union rolled it over on March 13 for eight weeks and extended it to three months on May 9, 2022.
After its last meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, the national leadership of ASUU directed the various branches to convey congress to take decision on what government proposed to the union.
At the different branch congresses, members unanimously voted for indefinite strike and the decisions was taken to National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUU.
Demands of the union include government failure to implement the Memorandum of Action signed with the union on December 23rd, 2020, non-signing of the 2009 renegotiated FGN/ASUU agreement submitted nine months ago.
Other reasons are forceful payment of ASUU members’ salaries and emoluments through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and non-adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), which government have used to shortage its members and non-payment of arrears of minimum wage.
However, the Committee of Pro-Chancellor of State-Owned Universities (COPSUN) has warned that it would not be forced to implement any agreement the Federal Government reached with ASUU.
The association also tackled Prof. Osodeke for describing state universities as “irrelevant and quacks” in the Nigerian University System (NUS).
COPSUN, in a statement by the Secretary, Marcus Awobifa, said state universities cannot be forced or coerced to implement agreements reached between the Federal Government and workers in the universities to which they are not parties.
“It is time to respect the federal nature of our government in all matters and not selectively, especially on the issues of salaries and wages,”CPSUN stated.
The group stressed that the unfortunate ill-digested view of the president of ASUU has vindicated the position of COPSUN.