ASUU threatens to embark on strike over unpaid allowances

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike action with respect to its demands for the implementation of its 2009 agreement with the Federal Government.

At a news conference on Tuesday, the Lagos State Zone Coordinator of the union, Prof. Olusoji Sowande, appealed to Nigerians to absolve it of blames once the industrial  action commences.
According to him, the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on funding of state universities, breaches of the conditions of service and re-negotiation of the agreement, exclusion of Nigerian universities from Pension Management Company and non-release of NEEDS Assessment Intervention Fund were still left unattended to.

His words: “The review of the agreement should have been undertaken in 2012 and 2015 but that did not happen.‎ “The implication is that our union has shown enough patriotism and understanding on these matters in the last four years.
“We are perplexed and disappointed that both the Federal and State Governments are not responding to our consistent appeals to bring about genuine transformation in the education sector.‘’

He explained that embarking on strike has never been a favourable choice as the Students and ASUU members have always suffered the pains more.

“It is unfortunate that the only language government appears to respect and listens to is that of industrial action like strike,’’ he said.