Another strike looms as ASUU issues three-week ultimatum to FG

By FRIDAY OKEREGBE

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a three-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to address all issues in the December 2020 Agreement.

ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, stated this on Monday while addressing reporters in Abuja.

He warned that the union might be compelled to embark on another nationwide strike should the government fail to implement the Memorandum of Action signed with ASUU prior to the suspension of the last industrial action.

According to the ASUU President, all the issues, including those of unpaid academic earned allowances and the universities revitalisation fund have not been addressed almost one year after an agreement was reached.

The ultimatum is part of the resolutions reached at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUU held in the nation’s capital.

ASUU embarked on a nationwide strike in March 2020 following its disagreement with the government over the funding of the universities and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), among other issues.

It had proposed the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) to replace IPPIS.

In a bid to get the lecturers back to class, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, convened a series of meetings with leaders of the union and relevant government officials.

Amid the strike that lasted several months and negotiations that ended in a deadlock, the government and ASUU later signed a Memorandum of Action in December 2020.

This led to the suspension of the protracted industrial action that lasted nine months, although not after the government offered a cumulative N65 billion to the lecturers to address earned academic allowances and revitalisation of universities.

On the IPPIS tussle, both parties agreed on the UTAS, while the university lecturers’ salary arrears would be paid by the government on a different platform.

ASUU had, however, warned that it would resume the strike should the government fail to meet its part of the agreement reached with the university lecturers. (Channels TV)