*REASONS WE ARE GOING ON STRIKE - ASUU*
OOU VANGUARD
Its no longer news that the Academic Staff Union Of Universities in Nigeria, have embarked on a indefinite strike action which was made officially public today Monday 14th 2017.
Briefing journalists on Monday after an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council held at the University of Abuja, ASUU President Biodun Ogunyemi, said during the strike period, there will be no teaching, examination or attendance of statutory meeting of any kind in any of ASUU’s branches till the government meets the union’s demands.
Among the notable reasons ASUU raised are the 2009 agreement and 2013 MOU which includes; funding for the revitalization of public universities, earned academic allowances, registration of Nigerian universities pension management company and pension matters, university staff school, fractionalization and non payment of salaries among other issues.
The union called on Nigerians to prevail on owners of public universities to be alive to their responsibilities,the ASUU President stressed that the Wale Babalakin negotiation committee lacked powers to resolve the issue as there were unimplemented items in the 2009 Agreement.
“Issues outside Babalakin’s negotiation committee are what we're discussing. We are saying that government did not continue the implementation of the existing issues from 2009 Federal government ASUU agreement. Government have abandoned implementation,” he said.
Mr Ogunyemi went forward to note that the government had ignored the education system, while the political class send their wards to private universities and universities abroad leaving public universities in Nigeria to collapse.
“Primary and secondary school system has already collapsed in Nigeria but not all Nigerians have the funds to send their wards to private schools”. He said for continued productivity, employers must fulfill the minimal obligation of paying their workers salaries correctly and as when due.
“Our members in state universities have experienced untold hardship owing to denial of salaries for several months in Ladoke Akintola university of Technology, LAUTECH, Ondo State University of Science and Technology, OSUTECH, Tai Solarin University of Education, TASUED and Ekiti State University, EKSU among several others” he said.
“A deliberate attempt to turn Nigerian academics to beggars and people of unsure footing must therefore be resisted by all who care about the future of our children and the transformation of our country” he said.
Students across Nigeria now look forward to swift reaction from the government, as they hope for an immediate intervention.
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Conveyed by RAPOR
