The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU – the umbrella body of the teaching staff of Nigerian public universities – has threatened a nationwide strike next week should the federal government fails to yield to their recent demands

The union hinged it latest threat on the failure of the Federal Government to appoint Governing Councils for Federal Universities in the country. There are 111 federal universities across the federation.

Speaking in a media chat, President of the union, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke noted that it has given the Tinubu-led government enough time to correct the errors.

Osodeke noted that the union was also concerned over the failure of the Federal Government to appoint members of Governing Councils for Federal owned universities stressing that the dissolution of the governing councils was illegal as it was against the principles guiding the existing universities.

The union also faulted what it described as the nonchalant attitude of the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to matters pertaining to academics in Nigerian Federal Universities.

During the press briefing at the University of Abuja, ASUU also faulted the 35 per cent salary increment for professors and the 25 per cent salary increment for other academics in the university system.

The body said it saw the increment as a wage award that could be withdrawn by the government anytime it deems fit.

It could be recalled that the National Universities Commission had, on June 22, 2023, announced the dissolution of governing councils of all federal universities and boards of other agencies and parastatals in the country.

The NUC directive was based on a similar one three days earlier by President Bola Tinubu ordering the dissolution of the boards of all government parastatals, agencies and companies.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, says it will reconvene in two weeks for the next line of action, should its demands remain unattended to.

ASUU is demanding immediate reconstitution of university governing boards, stoppage of alleged illegalities and violations of university autonomy, and payment of the minimum wage.

At a press briefing in Abuja, ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, said it rejects the unhealthy face-off with union leaders by vice chancellors.

A few federal university branches of ASUU are currently on strike, following moves by their vice-chancellors to elect their successors, without governing boards, which are mandated for that.

Although the federal government immediately reconstituted the boards of the governing councils of the 111 universities with 555 members, it remains to be seen if ASUU would go ahead with the proposed strike when the union meets next week.

The post ASUU To Embark On Strike Next Week Over Absence Of Governing Councils In Universities, Salary Increase appeared first on ESUT Monitor.

There are indications that the peaceful and seamless continuation of academic activities in Nigerian universities might be disrupted next year. This is because the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has threatened to embark of strike next year unless the federal government ameliorates the conditions of service for their members.

This is the view of the Chairman ASUU, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Professor Chinedu Aguba.

Professor Aguba lamented that the monthly take home pay of their members is nothing to write home about and wondered why and how a university professor could be earning in the region of ₦450, 000 and ₦460, 000 salary while a Ph,D holder as an Assistant Lecturer, is earning ₦118, 000 as his monthly salary.

“A Professor in Nigeria university goes home with N450, 000 or N460, 000 every month after deductions. A Professor in Nigeria University, it is as bad as that and the world has to know that. At times it comes down to N420, 000.

“Why I continue to talk about a professor is because he is the highest ranked person in the university. If he/she is earning that, then imagine what lecturer 11 is taking. Lecturer 11 has a Ph.D but his salary is about N118, 000,” he stated.

He stressed that such situation makes the lecturers laughing objects in the sight of transport business people especially tricycle riders who earn double of it.

“A keke driver (tricycle rider) will laugh at us to hear this thing I am talking about because that keke man makes it double every month. A lecturer 11 with Ph.D certificate is being paid N118, 000.

“This one is the main thing and they are not talking to us; that is the worst. If care is not taking, next year we would be going on strike from the body language of ASUU.”

He explained why ASUU always resort to strike as the last option to press for their demands stress that the [political leaders are hard-hearted and would always neglect their dialogue

“They always say that ASUU goes on strike every now then, but I will always challenge them, tell us the next thing to do. Strike is always used as the last option. We will write series of memos and letters for a meeting but they (federal government) would not reply us. People will always tell us to change our style from strike to diplomacy.

“We have tried those things but they don’t work because we are dealing with hardened people here as our political leaders. They are not leaders, they are rulers. Before the election took off, (general election) we applied diplomacy, our national leaders knew that the new president of the country would be either Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar or Ahmed Tinubu. These three key people were met by our national leaders behind the camera. Each of them promised that once he gets into office, that things would be done.

“This time, you call Gbajabiamila who is the Chief of Staff to (President) Tinubu, who was giving us his words that as far as he was concerned that ASUU matters would be dealt with. Now national President will call him and he will not pick his calls. You will not answer our calls, you will not respond to mails, what else does the society want us to do order than the last resort and that last resort is the strike. That is why it appears that ASUU is always going on strike.”

The post “We will go on strike next year, if”… ASUU appeared first on ESUT Monitor.