ASUU threatens to resume strikes over IPPIS , Salary Arrears, Casualisation of lecturers. Others.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU on Tuesday threatened to shut down the academic activities in the public universities across the country over non substantial implementation of 2009 agreement , several months after it suspended the state.
The ASUU in Federal University Lokoja Ful disclosed this while embarking on peaceful protest at the main Campus of the University in Lokoja, Kogi state.
While fielding questions from Journalists, the Chairman of the FUL branch, Dr. Joshua Silas, noted that the protest was on the directives of the National headquarters of the union for all the affiliate branches to protest the actions of the Government towards the body.
He said the protest was to inform parents, students and the general public of the failure of the Federal Government to implement the provisions of the 2009 renegotiated agreement.
He said the ASUU decided to suspend the strike in 2022 in order to give government the benefits of doubt and hoped that the government would be alive to meet all the outstanding issues.
He said the Union mostly affected by the continued placement of the Universities on Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System IPPIS which, he said has become a clog on the Management, lecturers and overall development of the university system.
The chairman stated that all the contentious issues , ranging from Outstanding salary arrears,, salaries paid through IPPIS, Academic earned allowance, Revitalisation fund; balance of promotion Arrears and Take it or Leave it which the Government promised to pay 21-23 months have remained a mirage months after the agreement.
He lamented at the actions of the Government which could not to constitute Governing Councils for months has made the University administrators to employ some lecturers on casual basis .
He said without the council in place, who are the employers in the Universities, no one can do so even the management has no powers to carry out recruitment exercise.
While calling on the government to do the needful to avert the impending strike, urged parents, well meaning Nigerians and the general public to prevail on the Government to honour the agreement it freely entered into with the Union since 2009.
According to him ” Since the 2009 renegotiated agreement which the Government signed up till June 2024, it has failed to substantially comply with the provisions of the agreement. We suspended the strike in October 2022 with the hope that the FG will meet up with the outstanding issues and now we are in June 2024 Government is still adamant.
” We want the publics and entire Nigerians to bear us witness . Asuu has tried, and done it’s best for Government to see reasons but to no avail. Of course, we shall not continue to keep quiet. Enough is enough. It is totally unacceptable.’ He stated.
The Labour leader bemoaned the depressed economy which is severely biting every one including the Lecturers who are demanding for their legitimate rights.
While reiterating the call for the government to honour the agreement, said the Union would be left with no other options than to down tools, saying the branch is waiting for the directives from the national headquarters of the Union.
