ASUU strike update: No agreement with Federal Government yet

The latest update on the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, according to the body’s representative, is that they have no agreement with the Federal Government yet.

Verified reports reaching us claim that the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities have hit a brick wall in their negotiations. The association thinks it is important to alert the public about developments between the two concerned parties.

The minister of labour, Chris Ngige had, over the weekend, claimed that the government had met six out of the nine demands that ASUU submitted. However, the national president of ASUU, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, told the Vanguard that the FG has not met their requests.

In a statement, Ogunyemi said:

“As far as we are concerned, nothing has been delivered to our members and our members don’t want empty promises. Let us take the issues one after the other. The withheld salaries of our members which is between four to eight months have not been paid, if paid, accounts of our members would have been credited. Same for Earned Academic Allowances, yet to be paid.

“Visitation Panels have not been constituted for the universities, if that is done, Nigerians would have heard the names of panel members as announced by the government. The proliferation of universities by state governments has not been addressed. The renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement has not started, the 2019 Memorandum of Action is not yet implemented.

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“So, on which of these issues has the target beneficiaries seen any concrete action being taken? We are getting to understand the way people in government work. When they are still discussing with you, they will go to town and tell people what has not been done. Their intention is to paint ASUU as the aggressor. Which of the issues can anybody say the ball is in ASUU’s court? Are we the ones to pay our withheld salaries and allowances? Are we the ones to set up Visitation Panels? That is how they went about creating a fake Twitter account for the union and begin to circulate fake news.”

The ASUU strike has been ongoing since 24th March 2020 and according to this update, it is not about to end even after seven months. He added that the blame lies at the feet of the Federal Government. “We are ready if they invite us,” he said.

Ogunyemi further revealed that the University Transparency and Accountability System, (UTAS) that will replace the FG’s Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, (IPPIS) was close to completion. Additionally, he furher said that there may be efforts to block its progress.