ASUU Says No Going Back On Strike
The Academic Staff
Union of Universities (ASUU) says there is no going back on its one-week
warning strike scheduled to begin on Wednesday, Nov. 16.
Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi,
the union’s National President, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on
telephone on Tuesday in Lagos that the strike would be total.
The union leadership,
after its emergency executive committee meeting, declared the warning strike at
a news conference on Monday in Abuja.
Ogunyemi said chronic
under-funding of the sector through low budgetary allocation, which went from
11 per cent in 2015 to eight per cent in 2016, did not go down well with the
union.
He pointed out the
failure of government to implement the 2009 agreement and the 2013 Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) as some of the reasons for embarking on the warning
strike.
The president said that
its members were tired of what they described as “government’s empty promises’’
in setting up its negotiation team for the review of agreement as consistently
requested by ASUU since 2012.
“There shall be no
teaching, no examination and no attendance of statutory meetings of any kind in
any of our branches while the strike lasts.’’
According to him, the
union will put machinery in place to ensure that there is total compliance
during the strike.
He explained that the
essence of the warning strike was to draw attention of concern stakeholders and
the general public to the challenges that the unions, universities and other
stakeholders in the sector were facing.
“Nobody will say before
we exhaust the warning strike some issues cannot be addressed if Government wants
to be sincere with our cause.
“We are doing this
because we want Nigerians to come into the matter and ensure that these issues
are given adequate attention they deserve.
“Our lecturers are
given 40 per cent of their salaries, which is just not encouraging, as this
will lead to poor commitment in carrying out their jobs.
“I am sure nobody will
like a 40 per cent university education or 40 per cent teaching of various
courses including research development and output.
“That is why we have to
take the matter before the National Assembly, which we believe, will come into
the matter just like the Nigerian parents.’’
Reacting to the
impending strike, the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN),
said that ASUU was right and that it must be supported.
Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo,
the association’s 2nd Deputy National President, told NAN that it was time the
Government takes the country’s education seriously, especially in the face of
the technology age.
“ASUU has done well by
giving warning, considering the patience its members have shown in these whole
issues.
“At least it is good
for them to feel the pulse of Nigerians and other key stakeholders on the
matter.
“However, because
Nigeria is struggling with recession presently, we, on behalf of Nigerian
parents are begging them not to down tool totally.
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