ASUU President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke and Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has condemned the Federal Government’s handling of the negotiation on its demands and nonchalant attitude towards the ongoing strike.

The ASUU rollover strike is in its 10th week today and will end in two weeks. Last week, Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, while featuring as a guest on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’, told the union to meet with the Benimi Briggs Committee, saying the decision to suspend industrial action embarked upon by ASUU could only be taken by the union.

On when the issue will be resolved, the minister had said, “It depends on ASUU. The ball is in their court. They should go and meet the Benimi Briggs Committee and look at what the committee is doing and make further inputs so that the work can be accelerated.”



However, in an interview with our correspondent on Sunday, the President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said it was shameful for Ngige to tell the union to go and liaise with another party other than the government.

He added that the union might have no choice but to roll over the strike after its expiration.

He said, “The rollover ends in two weeks, and there is no information, nothing new from the FG. They didn’t make any effort to get in touch with us or seek ways of ending the strike.



“Our members will decide after two weeks what step to take. We will meet. We are not begging them for discussion; they should invite us for any meeting. That’s the way it should be. We are not on strike with Ngige or Briggs but against the government, so why is he saying we should go and meet one committee or one person? We are on strike against a system. Ngige just talks without thinking. Are we on strike with a particular person?”

Some of ASUU’s demands include the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the UTAS payment platform the payment of salaries and allowances of university lecturers.

Similarly, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions have extended their strike by one month.

National President, SSANU, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim; General Secretary, NASU Mr. Peters Adeyemi, stated that it was unfortunate that the government kept mute and remained indifferent to the unions’ demands.

Some of the items in the agreement JAC signed with the FG are the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, payment of earned allowances, usurpation on non-academic career positions by vice-chancellors, and inclusion of university staff school into the university community, non-payment of minimum wage arrears, and funding of state universities.

It read, “Deriving from the feedback received from our branches in respect of the resolutions conducted which supported fully the ongoing strike and other actions to be taken by the leadership of JAC, this is to inform members that the strike has been extended by one month to commence on midnight of Sunday, 24th April, 2022 pending when the government will have change of heart and be favourably disposed to our demands as highlighted in our letters dated 1st March, 2022 and 16th March, 2022 to the representative of the government and the Honourable Minister of Labour & Employment.”

https://punchng.com/ASUU-faults-fgs-negotiation-may-continue-strike/

1) A warning strike is different from a roll over strike. If ASUU declares a 4 week warning strike, it thus means that after 4 weeks ASUU has to resume work regardless of whether the demand was met. Thus, to continue the strike if they feel unsatisfied, they have to go back to the table. However, what ASUU declared wasn't a warning strike as misconstrued by the media. ASUU declared a ROLL OVER strike which means after the 4 weeks, there isn't need to go back to the drawing table; ASUU just extend the strike by announcement.

2) The present salaries of lecturers are on the premise of 2009 salary structure; Nobody can thrive on that in this economy.

3) Public secondary school that most of us attended then that even made us who we are today has become a eyesore; The loud neglect by the government was aided by proliferation of private schools so that the glory of public schools is dissipating into the thin air with no whit of resurrection. Had they had an association as strong as ASUU, it wouldn't have been this bad. Imagine public school teachers' salaries!

By the time Buhari is done with Nigeria, una eyes go clear

At this point in time, both ASSU and FG have failed the Nigerian youths.

The same minister of labour who has failed the Nigerian youths is canvassing for vote from the same Nigeria youths. What an irony

Smh. If they add the 2020 strike to this one, students are almost losing two precious years. Nigger Area indeed.

UNSERIOUS FELLOWS. IMAGINE FUTURE OF NIGERIA STUDENTS.

Subsidized Tertiary education like Petrol Subsidy will have to stop at some point irrespective of the inconvenience.

It's just a matter of "When".

When will it be?

Nigerians can keep postponing it, but it is INEVITABLE.

Firstly, FG is a disgrace to this country as a whole nation not because of ASUU but because of everything going on in this country.

As for ASUU their low salaries is a fault from their organization not FG cause while in school some lecturers usually boost of being well paid and our handout money is nothing to them, some even see their selves as gods to students. I would agree that some are less paid but look into it you will find out that some are being over paid while those upcoming once are the ones suffering. ASUU strike is for their selfish reasons not for students, and people should stop insisting they are not paying them because recently the federal government threatened to stop paying them when they on strike signifying they are receiving their pays when they are still on strike, so who is fooling who?

FG for me is a failure they failed the country and keeps failing the country, but ASUU are not trust worthy to me, I don't just feel their intentions are 100% for the students.

My own opinion though.

Everyone are in serious hustle to get its share before election, so ASUU don't want to be left out.

This is an opportunity for BAT ASSOCIATION to showcase the special package it has for the nation.
I’m I talking sense!

HELLASJ:
Everyone are in serious hustle to get its share before election, so ASUU don't want to be left out.

ahswear down bro
the federal government budgets 500 billion for school feeding program imagine. please I want to believe it's a hoax

whippersnapper:
ahswear down bro
the federal government budgets 500 billion for school feeding program imagine. please I want to believe it's a hoax

They're only concern with what they'll get in return. Releasing such fund(N200bn) for ASUU won't yield anything for them hence the negligence.

Voldoz:
Firstly, FG is a disgrace to this country as a whole nation not because of ASUU but because of everything going on in this country.

As for ASUU their low salaries is a fault from their organization not FG cause while in school some lecturers usually boost of being well paid and our handout money is nothing to them, some even see their selves as gods to students. I would agree that some are less paid but look into it you will find out that some are being over paid while those upcoming once are the ones suffering. ASUU strike is for their selfish reasons not for students, and people should stop insisting they are not paying them because recently the federal government threatened to stop paying them when they on strike signifying they are receiving their pays when they are still on strike, so who is fooling who?

FG for me is a failure they failed the country and keeps failing the country, but ASUU are not trust worthy to me, I don't just feel their intentions are 100% for the students.

My own opinion though.

They were not paid their salaries except for non teaching staff.

Damn... the fault is entirely on Fed government.
They no want make students go school.
Since December 2020 wey ASUU don suspend their strike why govt no from there arrange everything?
This Fulani govt no value education, them want make everybody be illiterate like dem.
YEYE govt.

silverlinen:
Damn... the fault is entirely on Fed government.
They no want make students go school.
Since December 2020 wey ASUU don suspend their strike why govt no from there arrange everything?
This Fulani govt no value education, them want make everybody be illiterate like dem.
YEYE govt.

Both are to be blame, but FG is to be blamed more