Last Updated on March 25, 2024 by Twinbrodas
Asuu Strike Update. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called off its strike after reaching an agreement with the federal government. The strike, which lasted for over a year, was suspended on Friday, July 21, 2023, following a marathon meeting between the two parties. The announcement was made by the ASUU president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, at a press conference in Abuja. He said:
“We have decided to suspend our strike in the interest of our students and the nation. We have signed a memorandum of action with the government that addresses all our outstanding issues. We hope that this time, the government will fulfill its promises and implement the agreement.”
ASUU Strike Update: What Was Agreed?
According to the memorandum of action, which was obtained by Vanguard News, some of the agreements reached between ASUU and the government include:
- The approval and deployment of ASUU’s preferred payment system, University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), for all public universities by August 31, 2023.
- The release of N40 billion as earned academic allowances for ASUU members by September 30, 2023.
- The payment of all outstanding salaries and arrears of ASUU members by October 31, 2023.
- The allocation of N30 billion as revitalization fund for public universities by November 30, 2023.
ASUU Strike Update: Why the Strike?
According to ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, the union decided to resume the strike after the government failed to honour its commitments on the payment of salaries, allowances, revitalization fund, earned academic allowances, university autonomy and other issues.
Ogunyemi said that the government had reneged on the MoA signed in December 2020, which was supposed to end the nine-month strike that ASUU embarked on in March 2020. Read HND Rank In Custom And Salary 2023
He said that the government had not released the N40 billion revitalization fund for public universities, nor paid the outstanding earned academic allowances of ASUU members.
He also said that the government had not implemented the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), which is the alternative payment platform proposed by ASUU to replace the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
ASUU Strike Update: What Next?
Ogunyemi said that ASUU had no option but to resume the strike, as the government had shown no sincerity or seriousness in addressing the issues affecting the university system.
He said that ASUU was ready to dialogue with the government, but would not suspend the strike until its demands were met.
He urged students, parents and other stakeholders to support ASUU’s struggle for a better and functional university system in Nigeria.
He also appealed to the government to respect the MoA and fulfil its obligations to ASUU and the university community.
ASUU Strike Update: How Students Reacted
The resumption of the ASUU strike has sparked mixed reactions from students across the country.
Some students expressed frustration and disappointment over the disruption of their academic activities, while others expressed solidarity and understanding with ASUU’s demands. Prices Of Bag Of Rice In Nigeria
A final year student of the University of Lagos, who identified himself as Tunde, said that he was worried about the impact of the strike on his graduation and future plans.
He said that he had hoped to finish his studies and proceed for his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, but now he was uncertain about his fate.
He appealed to both ASUU and the government to find a lasting solution to the crisis and end the strike as soon as possible.
Another student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, who gave her name as Chidinma, said that she supported ASUU’s strike, as it was for the good of the university system and the country. See Nigerian Navy Batch 35 Shortlisted Candidates For Exams
She said that she understood the plight of the lecturers, who were fighting for their rights and welfare, as well as for better funding and infrastructure for public universities.
She said that she was ready to sacrifice her academic time for the sake of a better future for herself and other students.
She urged the government to listen to ASUU and meet its demands, as education was the key to national development.
Originally posted 2023-07-23 14:54:42.
