ASUU lists out conditions to call off strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has listed a number of conditions the federal government should meet for the union to suspend its current industrial action.

ASUU President Abiodun Ogunyemi said this Sunday, adding the federal government likes to move in circles.

“Some of these conditions include the full implementation of the Memorandum of Action (MoA) the two parties willingly signed in October 2017,” he told Premium Times.

“So the MoA must be implemented fully before we can even talk of suspension of the strike. If they implement the outstanding issues in the MoA fully and change the leadership of the negotiating team, then we can go back to the negotiation,” Ogunyemi said.

The first meeting with Labour Minister Chris Ngige ended up in deadlock last week, and the parties postponed the negotiation till November 26 at 5 pm.

The union is agitating for better funding of the Nigerian universities, and asking the federal government to back off plan to increase tuition fees.

“As they (schools) currently stand, they can neither attract competent foreign lecturers or foreign students who could add to their global rating,” he said.

“Our prayer is that the meeting should be productive, because contrary to the people’s belief, we don’t also enjoy embarking on strike. It affects us as individuals as it affects the nation.

“Unfortunately, that is the language the government understands. Each time ASUU goes on strike our work is disrupted. But what work are we doing under unfavourable conditions?” Mr Ogunyemi said.