FG’s suit ‘ll only worsen crisis, says ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has revealed that the case instituted against it by the federal government at National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, over the prolonged strike of the union, would worsen the situation.

Recall that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, a few days ago dragged the Academic Staff Union of Universities to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, over the prolonged strike of the union.

Ngige, in a leaked letter written to the Chief Registrar of the court, dated September 8, 2022, alleged the refusal of ASUU to call off its strike which began February 14, 2022, and thereby, asked the court to accelerate hearing on the matter in order to bring the dispute between the union and the government to an end.

Speaking at national town hall meeting on tertiary education, tagged: ‘The Locked Gates of our Citadels – A National Emergency,’ President of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke, the union is ready to suspend its ongoing strike if the federal government shows willingness to accept its “minimum” demands.

The Union has been on strike since February 14 over the federal government’s failure to meet its demands, including on issues relating to the funding of universities and lecturers’ salaries and allowances.

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“On all these issues, we have given the government a minimum that we can accept, but they have not responded on the issue of revitalisation, earned allowance and on other issues that we have all discussed,” NAN quoted Osodeke as saying.

“We negotiated and agreed that they should sign. This is very simple and it will not take more than one day. On UTAS and IPPIS , we say ‘release the report of the test you did, let’s look at the one who came first, and take it as we agreed’.

“So, we have given them the minimum we want and we have to come down, and they can do it in one day if there is a will. If the government loves this country, these children, and their parents, then they should come to the table and let us resolve these issues in one day.

On her part, Vivian Bello, convener of Save Public Education Campaign, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), appealed to the federal government and ASUU to resolve the situation, adding that it is the students who are bearing the negative impact of the strike.