ASUU Strike: Mixed Feelings As Union Denies FG’s Claim On December 9 Resumption
Nigerians took to their social media handles on Thursday to voice out their feelings about the stand off between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) regarding “agreement” to resume lectures on Wednesday, December 9.
The development is coming as ASUU President, on Wednesday, denied a statement credited to the Minister of Labor and Employment, Chris Ngige, where he said that ASUU breached its agreement by insisting that FG must pay all salary arrears of lecturers before it can return to the classroom.
Advertisement
He stressed that the federal government agreed to pay the remaining salaries after lecturers resume on December 9.
But Ogunyemi stated that the federal government lied about the true agreement at the meeting, adding that what was agreed was that FG would release their salaries on that date.
He called for the understanding of Nigerians but vowed that the union may continue the strike action until welfare and wellbeing of lecturers and public universities are guaranteed.
“The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been inundated with enquiries on why the ongoing strike action has not been suspended. This was sequel to the widely reported claims by some government agents that all the demands of ASUU have been met and that the union agreed to suspend the strike action today, 9th December, 2020. Nothing can be farther from the truth!
Advertisement
“At our last meeting in the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment on 27th November, 2020, the ASUU leadership promised to faithfully present the latest government offer to its members through the established tradition. The latest offer by government makes proposals on nearly all items of demand by the union with timelines. Among others, the document which was signed by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, contains proposals on inauguration of the reconstituted FGN-ASUU Renegotiation Committee (1st December, 2020); release of details about Visitation Panels (1st December, 2020); working on the actualisation of the release of the withheld salaries of ASUU members (Wednesday, 9th December, 2020). Clause 9 on the document reads: ‘Based on
these conclusions reached on items 1-8, ASUU’s leadership will consult its organs with a view to suspending the on-going strike’ (Italics, for emphasis).
“Therefore, the ASUU leadership did not reach any understanding with government to suspend the strike on 9th December, 2020 and there is nothing in the government offer of 27th November, 2020 to suggest that conclusion as allegedly claimed by the Minister of Labour and Employment. The leadership of ASUU has consistently stated at every meeting with high ranking government officials that the union’s representatives have no mandate to take final decision on any strike action by the union. All the leadership does is to present government offers through its organs, and that we have done faithfully in
the current situation,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Nigerians are shocked, discouraged and angry at the unfolding events between ASUU and FG, which had kept public tertiary institutions classrooms shut since March 23.
Below are their reactions on Twitter:
Advertisement
