The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the federal By Alice Etuka, Abuja government to resolve lingering issues affecting the nation’s universities or face an imminent strike action.
According to a statement signed by the ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna on Monday, the Union decried “the government’s consistent neglect of public universities and the welfare of academic staff”.
Prof. Piwuna recalled that the Union had, in August, staged rallies across federal and state universities to draw attention to the plight of the system but lamented that the efforts yielded no meaningful response from the government.
He warned that, if the federal government fails to act within the ultimatum, ASUU will first embark on a two-week warning strike, after which it may proceed on a total and indefinite shutdown of universities nationwide.
The union listed its demands to include: Renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement;Sustainable funding of universities;Revitalisation of public universities and an end to the victimisation of its members at LASU, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and FUTO.
Others are: Payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears;Resolution of delayed promotion arrears spanning over four years and settlement of outstanding third-party deductions.
