ASUU THREATENS FRESH INDUSTRIAL ACTION OVER UNPAID SALARIES

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Sunday, the 14th of March threatened to embark on another strike action, after accusing the Federal Government of breaching a “no victimisation clause” agreed upon during the dialogue that led to the suspension of the last industrial action. The union, through the Chairman of ASUU, University of Ibadan, Professor Ayo Akinwole alleged that the Federal Government are victimising its members by refusing to pay them outstanding salaries, covering between two to 10 months.

In his words, Akinwole asserted that “While ASUU as a union, and her members as individuals in various branches have remained faithful to this agreement by returning to classes and performing their respective duties, the Federal Government, true to type, has reneged on its part….This government has again reneged on its agreement with ASUU and can no longer be trusted. Since the suspension of the strike, three months ago, none of the issues in contention has been completely attended to….These harsh conditions will have terrible consequences on public tertiary education in Nigeria and when push eventually comes to shove, as it definitely will, in no distant future the Nigerian public should accordingly blame the Federal Government for its insincerity.

It Should be remembered that On December 23, 2020, ASUU conditionally suspended its 9-months old strike which it began on March 23, 2020 owing to the failure of the Nigerian Government to address the outstanding issues as outlined in the collective bargaining agreements of 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2019 freely reached and signed between the Government and ASUU.