The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has threatened to embark on industrial action if the Federal Government fails to address its lingering demands within 14 days.
ASUU National President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, in a statement issued on Monday, said the decision followed a meeting of ASUU National Executive Council, NEC, on Sunday, at the University of Abuja, Giri.
Piwuna said the union has been left with no choice after years of appeals and engagements with government authorities yielded little result.
He noted that in recent months, ASUU has consistently drawn attention to what he described as the “declining state of university education” in Nigeria and its grave implications for national development.
The ASUU President recalled that in August, members across federal and state universities staged campus rallies to press home their demands, but “nothing concrete” came out of the efforts.
The union resolved to issue a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government. Should the deadline lapse without action, ASUU would commence a two-week warning strike, which could escalate into a total and indefinite strike.
“If at the end of the fourteen days ultimatum, the Federal Government fails to address these issues, the Union may have no option than to, first, embark on a two-week warning strike and thereafter, a total and indefinite strike,” the union said
ASUU noted that for over 16 years, these issues have remained on the front burner, stressing that the demands have been raised repeatedly at national, zonal, and branch levels without meaningful response from government.
“It is over sixteen years now since ASUU has brought these issues to the media and the public domain. It means therefore that these issues are not new to you and the general public. For the past three months, ASUU has mentioned these issues at both the National, Zonal and Branch levels, Piwuna said.
According to the union, the unresolved issues include: Re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, Sustainable funding for universities, Revitalization of public universities, Addressing cases of victimization of members in LASU, KSU, now Prince Abubakar Audu University, and FUTO.
Other demands are Settlement of outstanding 25–35 per cent salary arrears, Pending promotion arrears for over four years and Unremitted third-party deductions.
The ASUU president insisted that government has both the capacity and resources to resolve the crisis, calling on stakeholders, including parents, students, religious and traditional leaders, to prevail on authorities to avert another round of industrial unrest.
“The 14-day ultimatum is a warning signal. ASUU believes the government has the strength to avert this looming strike. As the saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine,” Piwuna said.
