NO PROPOSED WARNING STRIKE!

ASUU SCORE THE SOCIAL MEDIA OCTOBER 2ND ONE WEEK WARNING STRIKE AS ONLY A RUMOUR

By Bamidele Williams

"...We are appealing to the public, well meaning Nigerians, all those who have interest in the Nigeria university system to assist us in pleading with the government to keep the agreement so that we will not go into crisis again — let government wake up to its responsibilities" —ASUU

"As we are now, government is owing universities N605billion"— ASUU


Following the turbulences and hullabaloo waves the recent broadcast across the social media platforms on a purported one week strike to be embarked upon by members of the Academic Staff Union Of Universities(ASUU) on 2nd of October; *Pigeonpost News Agency* as a matter of its obligation see it as a necessity to ascertain the authenticity and genuineness of the message from the appropriate quarters.

Answering series of questions from the Agency on the topic and others in a telephone conversation which lasted for over 25 minutes; and speaking for the Union is Prof. Olusiji Sowande, ASUU Lagos(Southwest) zone Coordinator.


PIGEONPOST: Here, we have a statement credited to the Union that the Union is likely to embark on an indefinite strike if the Federal Government (FG) fails to honour the agreement it had with the union in 2009, and also on the total overhauling of the university infrastructures after the meeting of the stakeholders of the Union.

*ASUU:* Well, when we made that statement, we said the need for the publication is to sensitise the public that government is derailing from our agreement again and that we have been trying as much to avoid any possible consequence. So, we said public should help us appeal to government to keep their agreement, that we do not want to be pushed to the wall and to go for the last straw.

PIGEONPOST: But after the 6 months strike of the union in 2013, we have a report that the Union received certain billions from the then Jonathan led administration before calling off the strike...

*ASUU:*Sorry to cut you short. No Money was paid to ASUU as a union. It was paid to the universities. ASUU did not receive any money from the government.

PIGEONPOST: "It was paid to the universities"
But I thought ASUU is claiming to be fighting for the university education for been at its deteriorating state or so?

*ASUU:* Well, if you look at the 2009 agreement, the agenda was to put university in Nigeria back to its former glory, you need to invest heavily in the university infrastructures, facilities and laboratories; and after series of research and collation of data, it was agreed that over a period of 6years, we will need N1.3 trillion to do that.
And government also agree that that amount was arrived at in a convincing manner and therefore they agreed to pay it over a period of 6years starting from 2013 and spanning 2018. I can confirm to you that out of that N1.3 trillion, it was only the initial 200million that was released to the universities and you expect that in 2014 there will be a release of 220 billion, 2015— 220 billion, 2016— 220 billion. You can see the deficit.
So, the agenda to put the university back to its former glory is been truncated by the government. That is the whole essence. And there are other areas of the agreement, talking of things that are due to our members from 2014 to 2015, not to talk of 2016.
But there is also the issue of renegotiation which supposed to be done every 3years. The last one was due, if you count 2009 in 2012; it was not renegotiated. Another one was due in 2015, it was not renegotiated.
Now this is 2016, as a right thinking person and as a Union that has done so much for the university education, we have waited hoping the government would change its stance; we hope that when Jonathan left, this government will also take up from where Jonathan put it. But it is like this government does not think of university education.
In respect of that N1.3trillion; calculate the second quarter of 2016, government is owning university N605billion and we are saying this are issues the government can look into to avert such a crisis so that our students can continue to be in school without any distraction.


PIGEONPOST: And what are the steps the Union leaders and the Union as a body has taken to make their plights and grievances known to the new government in the country, to call the attention of FG to this situation?

*ASUU:* Well, the most recent discussion with Government is through the minister of Education on May10, 2016. In fact, all the issues relating to the agreement and the problems the university system were tendered before the minister and the minister promised that within two weeks, after that May 10 meeting, all issues will be resolved.
Out of 10 issues that were discussed, the response wa only on two. And other prominent ones, the minister has not given us response.
We are limited to patience, when you are pushed to the wall, you may tend to turn back and say let's face reality. That is why we are appealing to the public, well meaning Nigerians, all those who have interest in the Nigeria university system to assist us in pleading with the government to keep that agreement so that we will not go into crisis again. Everyone enjoy this period of peace, and we will want it to ckontinue this way but we want government to wake up to its responsibilities, lest we use the last weapon we think the government would listen to.

PIGEONPOST: And there is this broadcast across the social media credited to the Union that members of ASUU are set to embark on a week warning strike from October 2nd after which if the government still fails to honour the agreement, the Union will embark on an indefinite one by November

*ASUU:* The power to declare strike and congress lies in the hand of members of the NEC(National Executive Council) of the Union. And on that, that is just a rumour. It is only a rumour. We never discuss something of such in our last congress.
...

©Pigeonpost News Agency
www.pigeonpostonline.com

Ok

bb

Okay oo

Thank you thank you my people. I no wan see any other thing. No strike. Good