THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its two-month-old indefinite and comprehensive strike with effect from today.

The union announced the suspension on Wednesday, during a press conference addressed by the ASUU president, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie, at the Labour House, Abuja.

Professor Awuzie said the strike was suspended as a result of the letter sent to the union on January 24, 2012, where the Federal Government communicated its position to resolve all the issues in contention as agreed in various negotiations between the government and ASUU.

However, the ASUU president pointed out that the final decision to suspend the strike was taken after collating the advice from their members across the country on the positions of the Federal Government, as expressed in the letter to the union.

“These positions were duly taken to all branches for consideration, in accordance with the democratic principles of our union. Our members nationwide met at their respective congresses on Monday, 30th January, 2012 to discuss and assess government’s position vis-à-vis the requirements of the agreement, especially on the major issues in contention. On the basis of congress resolution, each branch presented its advice to NEC through its chairperson.

“ASUU NEC, after collating the advice from members across the country, and having deliberated extensively, resolved to suspend the strike with effect from Thursday, 2nd February, 2012,” Professor Awuzie said.

ASUU declared a total, indefinite and comprehensive strike on December 4, 2011 in order to prevail on government to sincerely and judiciously implement the 2009 agreement it entered into with the union.

Professor Awuzie said the union had suspended the strike to give the government the benefit of the doubt that all its promises on all the issues in contention would be fulfilled, not minding the government’s penchant for not fulfilling previous agreements and promises.

Besides, he stated that the union was very optimistic rather than being pessimistic on the sincerity of the government to fulfilling its present positions, adding that the trend of the negotiation on these issues gave an indication that the government was sincere.

The ASUU president said that it was the first time the Secretary to the Government of the Federation would be fully involved in the negotiation and discussion process, while on many occasions, he sought for times to clarify certain issues and agreement reached during the negotiations with his principal, President Goodluck Jonathan, before final decisions were reached.

With this in mind, he stated that ASUU did not foresee any default on the side of the government.

The nine issues in contention which government has promised to address are: funding requirements for revitalising the Nigerian universities; Federal Government’s assistance to state universities; progressive increase of annual budgetary allocation to education to 26 per cent between 2009 and 2020; earned allowances; and amendment of the pension/retirement age of academics on the professorial cadre from 65 to 70 years.

Others are establishment of the pension fund administrator; reinstatement of prematurely dissolved Governing Councils; transfer of Federal Government landed property to universities and setting up of research and development units by companies operating in Nigeria and teaching and research equipment provision to our laboratories and classrooms.

However, Professor Awuzie reminded the government that based on the 2009 ASUU/FG agreement, the agreement is due for review in June 2012, and asked government to put every machinery in motion for the process.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government is to increase its funding of universities in the country to the sum of N400 billion yearly in line with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) resolution that all member states should allocate 26 per cent of their entire budgetary allocations to education.

Already, the Federal Government has promised to release a sum of N100 billion to immediately stimulate the process, which it will build up yearly to N400 billion in the next three years.

This was contained in the January 24 letter to ASUU by the Federal Government.

According to the ASUU president, the letter contains the position of the Federal Government after the series of negotiations between ASUU and government.

On the other issues in contention, he said: “As soon as the legislative procedures for the Bill on the 70 Years Retirement Age for Academics at the professorial cadre are concluded, the president shall assent to it not later than the end of February 2012.”

Professor Awuzie said the Federal Government had also promised that the state universities should continue to enjoy special and other statutory interventions, while government accepted in principle the payment of the Earned Academic Allowances.

He said the government had also undertaken to reinstate Governing Councils of various universities by February 12, 2012, but might make changes in external membership where it deemed necessary, while the tenure of councils reinstated would end in February 2013.

The government also agreed that each council should set up a Budget Monitoring Committee which would monitor the effective use of funds in each university, and the committee should through the Governing Council send its report on project execution, budget performance, and financial discipline to the Implementation Monitoring Committee quarterly.

However, in order to ensure effective overall monitoring of the implementation of the FGN/ASUU Agreement, government shall meet with the expanded Implementation Monitoring Committee on quarterly basis to assess progress.

Professor Awuzie stated that ASUU NEC’s decision had been taken in the interest of the revitalisation of Nigerian universities, both federal and state, and the need to vastly improve the quality of teaching and research in Nigerian universities.

However, he added: “To achieve these goals, ASUU expects the government to fulfil its obligation in respect of funding and all other matters contained in its offers.”

Comments (1)

Show/hide comments

no work - no - pay
written by ADEDIPE JULIUS, February 02, 2012

ASUU members had been on strike for few months before yesterday. I think the Federal Government should not pay them for the months they were on strike considering the pains inflicted on students and parents by ASUU members as well as their somewhat inconsiderate attitudes towards their students who are for ever paying them monies for handouts and other hidden demands during college sessions. Na wa o!

• 
• -1
• 
• 

Show/hide comment form

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment