BY DAYO ADESULU & IKENNA ASOMBA
Following the indefinite strike embarked by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), last Monday, the union, Sunday, disclosed that it will not suspend the industrial action, unless the Federal Government accedes to the agreement it reached with it in 2009. This is even as the union debunked reports on some social and online media that it has suspended its one-week old strike.

Speaking with Vanguard, ASUU Chairman, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Chapter, Dr. Karo Ogbinaka said: “The strike is still ongoing. We have not suspended or called-off the strike. Perhaps, before we do that, a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting must be held, then, the resolutions of the meeting will be made known to all chapters of the union,” adding, “The indefinite and total strike will continue, except government meets our demands.”
Meanwhile, FG through its Ministry of Education led by Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufain will Monday, meet with stakeholders in the industry, which included Vice Chancellors of Federal universities and their Governing Councils, together with interested Vice Chancellors of State and Private universities.
However, at the time of filing this report, full details of agenda for the meeting was not made known. It would recalled that the union had last Monday, called out its members on an indefinite industrial action over what it termed government’s failure to honour the Academic Earned Allowance (AEA) which formed a component of the 2009 agreement the government signed with the union.

siraj1402: Thank God its Monday.Hope I bi 2nd to comment sha.

ULSHERLAN: Imagine this statement 'the fg will meet with the vc of federal universities together with INTERESTED state and private uni vc's' meaning state and private uni shudnt be a part of this action. Smh for state uni's cos I wanna believe their state govt should be responsible for whatever happens in their uni.

delpharm: Baba God intervain

brosun: But what still baffles me is why a government would freely enter into an agreement and at the end fail to honour it. Doesn't smack of responsibility at all! That this is not the first time it is happening simply annoys me! For how long shall we continue to toy with the future of our youths in such recklessly irresponsible manner?

highlandre:


Why should state unis be involved in this ASUU strike? ASUU chapters at state universitites should not unduly subject students to this selfish strike as the breach of agreement between FG and federal varsities has no direct impact on state universities' lecturers

brosun: You're the one who is trying to be selfish and ignorant here! State universities are part of the Nigerian university system. They are regulated by the same National Universities Commission, and they are part of ASUU. The strike is also their strike, just as a degree earned from a state university is equivalent to a degree earned in a federal university. You're therefore wrong in assuming that this is a battle between "FG" and "federal varsities", and that the breach of agreement will not impact on state owned universities. In Nigeria, we have ONLY ONE university system, whether the university is owned by the state or by the federal government. In electing to renege on an agreement it freely entered into with ASUU, it is the FG that should be held accountable, not the expectations of university lecturers, whether you consider them to be selfish or not!