Education

ASUU set to declare indefinite strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has concluded plans to declare an indefinite strike on Sunday over Federal Government’s failure to meet its demands.

The Star had reported that the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU has said it would deliberate on the lingering strike on Sunday.

It was gathered that the council has scheduled a meeting at the ASUU national headquarters at the University of Abuja.

It was learnt that reports from local chapters would be gathered to guide the council to make a decision on the industrial action.

“The NEC meeting will hold on August 28, the four weeks ultimatum that we gave is expiring that same day. We will be making our decisions based on the results of the state congresses,” a credible source had disclosed.

However, an ASUU leader, who declined to be named, said a proposal for the indefinite strike would be ratified and adopted at the NEC meeting slated for Sunday.

“None of the branches, including the University of Abuja, voted for anything other than an indefinite strike.

“All the branches of ASUU are expected to finish their congresses tomorrow (today) and pass their report to NEC.

“NEC will have to meet and review the decisions of all of the branches and decide on what to do,” The Nation quoted the ASUU leader as saying.

ASUU embarked on a nationwide strike on February 14 over the adoption of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) of the government as the payment system in the university sector.

The striking union also decried the poor funding of universities, non-payment of salaries and allowances of some of their colleagues, as well as the inability of the government to pay earned academic allowance to lecturers, among other issues.

Other university-based unions such as the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), and other allied educational institutions had also embarked on strike to push their demands before calling off recently.

The Federal Government had set up a negotiation team led by the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja, Nimi Briggs, to look into negotiations with the unions but no solution yet as ASUU accused the government of rejecting report of its committee.

The Star