In a determined move towards addressing longstanding issues, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has announced preparations for a major strike, issuing a three-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to fulfill its demands and prevent industrial action.
Comrade Salim Ahmed, Chairperson of the ASUU Federal University Dutse (FUD) Branch in Jigawa State, delivered this ultimatum during an emergency press conference at the ASUU Secretariat in Dutse.
Yesterday He remarked, “Today, Wednesday, 19th June 2024, the Members of the Expanded Executive Officers of the ASUU Federal University Dutse convened to assess the Union’s patriotic engagements with the Federal and State governments, aimed at resolving the persistent issues plaguing Nigerian Public Universities.”
Ahmed pointed out that the current administration has deliberately ignored the Union’s leadership since its inception on 29th May, 2023.
Ahmed emphasized that despite the leadership’s extensive efforts to engage the government in accordance with the principles of collective bargaining as outlined by the International Labour Organization (ILO), these attempts have been unsuccessful.
He highlighted that the renegotiation of the FGN/ASUU 2009 agreement encapsulates critical issues concerning ASUU members’ welfare, university autonomy, funding for revitalization of Nigerian universities, and the proliferation of public universities. Additionally, he underscored that the conditions of service include contentious matters outlined in the FGN/ASUU Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of 2012/2013 and the Memorandum of Action (MoA) of 2017. These include the illegal dissolution of governing councils in federal and state universities, the release of outstanding salaries withheld for over seven months despite work being completed, and the release of unpaid salaries for members on sabbatical or adjunct positions due to deficiencies and inefficiencies within the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
Furthermore, Ahmed highlighted the union’s demands for the release of third-party deductions by IPPIS, payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), implementation of visitation panel reports, and adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) in place of IPPIS.
Expressing disillusionment with the government’s apparent reluctance to decisively address these lingering issues, Ahmed explained that the branch, in alignment with directives from the national secretariat, decided to hold a press conference. This was aimed at informing parents and stakeholders in university education about the situation and sensitizing them to the government’s failure to resolve these issues.
Ahmed disclosed that within the next three weeks, the union would intensify efforts to mobilize its members and raise awareness for further action. He urged all concerned citizens to implore the Nigerian government to address these outstanding issues promptly and engage with the union’s leadership to prevent an unnecessary and avoidable industrial crisis in Nigeria’s already vulnerable university system.
