By Mimi Chiadikobi
Awka,July 2,2024 (NAN)The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has vowed to go on strike soon if the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu, ignores the FG/ASUU Agreement further.
The members of the union was captured praying and binding every spirit of pharaoh delaying the development of public universities in Nigeria .
The prayer warriors of the union prayed that the day protest will not go in vain and asked for God’s intervention in the matter that have lasted for decades and passed under many administration unattended
Earlier, Chairman of ASUU of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) chapter Awka, Prof. Kingsley Ubaorji, made the call during a march protest by its members in Awka on Tuesday.
Ubaorji said that failure of the federal government to sincerely honour all the agreements it entered into with ASUU has created a deplorable educational system in Nigeria.
He said that the union fairly demand for improved welfare of lecturers of public universities and the need for federal government to develop the nation’s varsity system to meet with global standards.
“We are gathered as members of the union to protest against the failure of the federal government to sincerely honour all the agreements it entered into with ASUU.
Ubaorji said that the union during its emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Tuesday, the 8th of June, 2024, pointed out amongst others that the President Tinubu take positive steps on issues of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement.
He said that the implementation of the Prof. Nimi Briggs Report, funding for the Revitalisation of Public Universities based on the FGN-ASUU MoU of 2012, 2013.
Ubaorji disclosed that the MoA of 2017; release of the 3½ months of the withheld salaries, payment of EAA, release of unpaid staff salaries on sabbatical, adjunct, due to IPPIS has negative effect on the system.
He said that others issues include the release of third-party deductions, implementation of UTAS in place of IPPIS, implementation of the reports of the Visitation Panels, illegal dissolution of Governing Councils in Federal and State Universities.
He condemned the dissolution of governing councils without due process and said that University community cannot be used as a dumping ground for politicians.
“Governing Councils are crucial for the governance and strategic direction of our universities.
“Therefore, the illegal and arbitrary dissolution of the Governing Council whose tenures have not ended undermines Nigerian universities’ autonomy and smooth functioning.
“This cannot be tolerated as it lays a very bad precedence. Even the membership of the said newly reconstituted Councils is problematic.”
Ubaorji said that historically, the government has made commitments and signed agreements with ASUU, detailing timelines and expectations of both parties aimed at developing the Nigerian Universities as conditions for suspending any strike action.
He stresses that,”As soon as Lecturers resumed, the government and other stakeholders returned to status quo. ASUU would again start writing letters and reminders to the government, which were most often ignored, resulting in another strike action by ASUU.
“It may interest the general public, especially Nigerian Students, to know that through ASUU struggles, Nigerians have enjoyed the following benefits:regulated/subsidised tuition fees,
“The establishment of TETFund and NEEDS Assessment funds that have sponsored critical infrastructural projects in our universities, including lecture classrooms, office blocks, roads, hostels, electricity,” he disclosed.
Ubaorji said that the union has vowed to embark on a nation wide strike if the federal government under Tinubu fails to honour all the terms of agreements it entered into with the body regarding the development of the nation’s university system.
In his contribution, South East Zonal coordinator of ASUU, Owerri chapter, Prof Dennis Aribodor, had proposed that universities should be properly funded.
Aribodor advised that the government should desist from encouraging unnecessary proliferation of public universities without funding the existing public Varsities.
He noted that the existing Varsities would take care of academic needs of students if they are adequately developed and noted that welfare of lecturers if given proper attention will ensure optimal productivity.
He said that many of these issues mentioned have outlived successive governments without any resolution, and other issues have been created by consecutive governments as well.
He citied the implementation of the IPPIS, which came with the Muhammadu Buhari administration.End
