ASUU declares nationwide strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Monday, declared a four-week “comprehensive and total” strike.

The nationwide strike was declared by the President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, at a press conference he addressed in Lagos on Monday.

Osodeke stated that the strike will take effect from Monday, February 14, 2022.

The latest development is coming after members of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) held marathon meetings since Saturday at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

The meeting was titled, ‘NEC for NEC.’

The ASUU President said: “NEC resolved to embark on the four-week roll-over total and comprehensive strike as the government has failed to implement the Memorandum of Action it signed with the ASUU in December 2020.

“We invite all lovers of education to join our struggle for a greater Nigeria. Nigerian politicians keep proliferating educational institutions without prioritising education.

“ASUU will not relent in its historic responsibility of advocating for an improved university system.

“This is because it holds the key to our collective prosperity and better future for our children and our children’s children; so, let us work together to fix it,” Osodeke declared.

The Star reports that the demands of ASUU include funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances, renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.

Others are University Transparency Accountability Solution, and the inconsistencies in the payment of Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

ASUU had earlier announced the readiness of its members to embark on another nationwide strike if the Federal Government fails to implement the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed with the union in 2021.

The union had alleged that the agreement the Federal Government signed with the union since 2009 has not been implemented till date.

TheStar