ASUU threatens strike, gives FG 14 days’ ultimatum

Ini Billie, Uyo

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on strike after 14 days, saying successive governments have treated academics unfairly.

Speaking on Monday in Uyo during a press conference, Chairman, ASUU Calabar Zone, Comrade Happiness Uduk, who spoke on behalf of the Chairpersons of Abia State University, Akwa Ibom State University, Ebonyi State University, Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, University of Cross River State, University of Calabar and the University of Uyo, said the union have exhausted all options to get governments to keep to its promise to the union.

Uduk explained that the government’s failure to implement the contents of several Memoranda of Understanding and Action between 2013 and 2022 has hindered access to industrial harmony in public universities.

She stated that though renegotiations have lingered for over seven years, the government has refused to own the said document and implement the contents, adding that efforts to get the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to adopt and implement the said agreement have been frustrated.

“With the current economic realities, even the wage award and palliative cannot replace the renegotiated agreement which was reached following the time-tried and honoured principle of collective bargaining.

“Equally, very sad is the fact that the government has refused to even address non-monetary issues; the most visible being the exit of universities from the obnoxious IPPIS despite a presidential directive and a court order since December 2023. The matter is made worse by the government’s refusal to deploy UTAS, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, a home-grown alternative to IPPIS developed at the instance of the FGN in 2020.

“Even with its overwhelming performance over IPPIS, UTAS remains in the background without being accepted or deployed. At present, it is difficult for any university worker to tell his/her exact salary as it fluctuates every month while third-party deductions are withheld or released haphazardly with impunity and amputations.

“It is obvious this government is not interested in resolving lingering issues with our union that is why, like previous governments, its engagements with us are characterised by bottlenecks of bureaucracy, time-buying, documentation denial, lack of budgetary provisions rather compounding and complicating the already unpleasant relationship.

“Even when budgetary allocations were made in the 2023 budget for EAA and revitalisation, our members are yet to have their payments. Please, note that we will not fold our arms while government plays games with the welfare of our already battered members in both federal and state-owned universities.

“In view of the current realities in the dysfunctional relationship between the Federal Government and ASUU, the union resolved to give the government 14 more days ultimatum to the earlier 21 days beginning from Monday, 23rd September 2024 within which all issues must have been addressed to the satisfaction of our poorly-treated members.

“Our union will withdraw services, and should not be held responsible for the breakdown in industrial harmony which will arise as a result of the government’s insensitivity, insincerity, indifference and time-buying tactics.

“The union calls on those in authority as well as their agents to seize this window to forestall the looming crisis,” the union stated.