ASUU To Embark On Warning Strike

By Yetunde verissimo

The Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) as announced that it would be going on a one-week warning strike, starting from the 16th on November 2016.

The President of the Union, Comrade Biodun Ogunyemi, made the announcement on Monday, at ASUU national secretariat, in Abuja.

He said the decision was informed after an emergency national executive council meeting of the Union held 13th November 2016, to deliberate on the neglect to the agreements undertaken with the Federal government.

"Many aspects of the 2013 MoU and 2009 Agreement with Government have either been in implemented or disparaging handled."

Ogunyemi further explained that both the federal and state governments were not only dragging at implementing the 2009 negotiated and signed agreement but were also taking measure that are violating and strangulating the Nigerian University system.

He advised that there would be no teaching, no examination and no attendance at meetings of any kind in its branches nation wide.

Com. Oladipo Fashina, ASUU Trustee, said advised that it should not be looked at a continuous occurrence of the Union to go on strike, but be seen as a point to call the FG To order.

He further said that "the duty of the association to protect and advance the interest of the education sector of the country. Our duty is to the Nigerian people."

Recall that the 2009 signed agreement between ASUU and the Federal Government included issues concerning funding: the restoration of the Nigerian Universities, via financial interventions; conditions of service for lecturers; reverse the university system, to reposition it for greater responsibility in national development; university autonomy and academic freedom; pension act for retired lecturers, amongst others.

It took the federal government 3 years to reach an agreement and they also agrees to re- negotiate every three years. But the Union says the FG is yet to fully implement some of the agreements.