ASUU latest news on resumption, ASUU strike update today, 9th June 2022 can be accessed below.
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Newsone reports that the Edo State Government on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, suspended union activities in all state-owned tertiary institutions of higher learnings in the state.
This online news platform understands that the decision was Peeved by Tuesday’s protest in Benin by students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma over the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other unions.
A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Osarodion Ogie after a State Executive Council meeting in Benin sighted by Newsone Nigeria, listed the affected unions as ASUU, Non-Academic Staff of Universities (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Non-Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and all allied unions in state-owned tertiary institutions.
The statement noted, “By this notice, academic activities are to resume in all state-owned institutions and all cadre of staff are directed to report to their duty posts immediately.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to end the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities and other university-based unions.
The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, made the call in his contributions to the report of the Director-General, International Labour Organisation, during the 110th International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.
The conference which opened on Tuesday has the theme: “Social justice, decent work”.
According to Wabba, the NLC has written to the Federal Government on how to end the universities’ workers’ strike.
“We call on the government to bring this strike to an end without further delay,” he said.
The university unions’ and Federal Government renegotiation committee sitting will end today.
The Federal Government on March 7, 2022, inaugurated a seven-person committee tasked with the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the other three unions including, The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and The National Association of Academic Technologists.
The committee which was chaired by Pro-Chancellor, Alex Ekweme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Emeritus Professor Nimi Briggs was given three months to conclude the renegotiation with ASUU and other unions.
According to ASUU and SSANU national presidents, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke and Mr Mohammed Ibrahim respectively, the Briggs committee has been meeting with the various unions since May 2022 to renegotiate their agreements.
With about 72 hours to the time limit the Federal Government gave the Prof. Nimi Briggs Committee to conclude negotiation with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, there are indications that the union may make some concessions in its demands from the government.
Checks by Vanguard, yesterday, showed that this followed the progress being made in the meetings between the committee and the leadership of the union.
Though the concessions may not include overlooking the demands that have financial implications, the union could give more time to the government to meet some demands. A source told our correspondent that both parties still met on Saturday, as the deadline given the Briggs Committee to conclude its assignment would lapse mid week.
He said: “Demands that have financial implications such as the payment of Earned Academic Allowance, Revitalisation Fund, the payment of withheld salaries are not negotiable. There are some areas we may shift grounds but until it is officially done, let us wait.
“Our children and wards are affected too by the strike. How much do we earn to send them abroad or to private universities here?
“We are not insensitive to the welfare of our students and the anxiety of parents. It is the government that is not getting its priorities right. Education is a vital sector that should not be left to rot,” he said.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso branch, has insisted that as far as the lecturers at the state-owned university are concerned, they are still on strike and therefore would not engage in any academic activities until they receive a directive from the national body of the union to do otherwise.
The chairman of the union at the branch, Dr Biodun Olaniran, reaffirmed this position in an exclusive interview with Sunday Tribune.
According to him, academic staff members at LAUTECH are fully participating in the ongoing industrial action as declared by the national body of our union and so shall we continue to stay away from classrooms until the strike is called off also by the national body.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Thursday expressed optimism about its ongoing meeting with the Prof. Nimi Briggs committee, describing the negotiation as being progressive.
Speaking in an interview with The PUNCH on Thursday, the National President, ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said the union had been negotiating with the Briggs committee since last week over its demands.
ASUU commenced its ongoing strike on February 14, 2022, after the Federal Government failed to meet some of its demands including, the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution
On March 7, 2022, the Federal Government inaugurated a seven-person committee tasked with the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement reached with ASUU, which was chaired, by Pro-Chancellor, Alex Ekweme Federal University Ndufu-Alike.
‘’We are meeting soon; we are having a follow-up, we don’t publicise our meetings, we want to do it quietly and then tell the public our decision,” Osodeke said
An anchor and owner of the popular Human Rights Radio in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ahmed Isah, has announced that he is crowdfunding for the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to class.
ASUU and other university workers’ unions have been on strike for almost four months. The unions’ demands, among other things, include better funding for the nation’s public tertiary institutions and improved welfare for their members.
While the government released 34 billion naira for the payment of minimum wage consequential adjustments from 2019, ASUU has maintained that until its core demands are met, it will not suspend the strike.
In a live broadcast on Thursday, Mr Isah, who is the anchor of the Brekete Family programme on the radio station, said he is willing to volunteer to mediate between ASUU and the government.
He also promised to donate N10 million naira to the cause and called on Nigerians to donate into a designated bank account posted on the Brekete Family social media pages and his personal twitter handle.
Mr Isah also announced the donation of N1 million naira by Segun Ogunyanwo, a deputy registrar at the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC).
“Let us challenge ourselves as Nigerians. This is an opportunity for us to test ourselves to know how united we are. Come 2023, this ASUU intervention will give me a sign that, as masses, we are ready to turn things around,” he said on Thursday.
“Your one naira, N1,000 naira, N5000, N10,000 is not too small. No matter how poor you think you are, make sure you contribute something, even if it is one naira.”
The Kano Zone of ASUU on Tuesday expressed concern over alleged intimidation and threats against some of its officials by the management of the Kaduna State University (KASU).
Universities and the federal government have been urged to rally around and close ranks so that Nigerian students will leave the streets and go back to classes.
The Senator representing Abia North at the National Assembly, Orji Uzor Kalu, made this plea on Tuesday in a statement on his Facebook page.
He expressed his sympathy for Nigerian students “who against their will are out of school due to the ongoing ASUU strike”.
He said, “I call on the universities and federal government to rally round and close ranks so that our students will leave the streets and go back to classes.
“I sympathise with the students who against their will are out of school due to the ongoing ASUU strike”.
The Senate Chief Whip remembered the past, stating, “while I was the Governor of Abia state (199-2007), primary to university education (in the state) was made free and affordable.
“My government invested a lot in education to encourage people to go to school.
“The states and federal government are supposed to pay strict attention to education. It is irresponsible for any government to deny attention to education sector.”
He added, “Incessant strikes lead to delays in students’ graduation and slows down their life plans and life pursuits”.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions have said the Prof Nimi Briggs Committee is in negotiation with the unions.
Speaking in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday, the ASUU’s National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, said the union had been negotiating with the Briggs Committee since last week over its demands.
ASUU commenced its ongoing strike on February 14, 2022 after the Federal Government failed to meet some of its demands namely; the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution payment platform.
IDOMA VOICE recalls that on March 7, 2022, the Federal Government inaugurated a seven-man committee chaired by the Pro-Chancellor of Alex Ekweme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Prof Nimi Briggs.
The committee, which is expected to review the proposed FGN/ASUU Agreement, has its terms of reference, some of which include; to liaise and consult with relevant stakeholders to finalise the position of the FG to the issues in the draft proposed FGN/ASUU renegotiated agreement; renegotiate in realistic and workable terms the 2009 agreements with other university-based unions; and negotiate and recommend any other issue the committee deems relevant to reposition the National Universities Commission for global competitiveness.
Osodeke said, “We are discussing with the Federal Government through the renegotiation team and we started last week.
“The negotiation is between ASUU and the Briggs Committee and agreement should be negotiated quietly. When we reach an agreement, we will come to the press. We hope this approach/ negotiation will solve the problem so that by next week, we will brief Nigerians. Give us a little time.”
When asked if ASUU would call off the strike soon, Osodeke said, “We don’t know until we finish the negotiation.”
The prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is causing sleepless nights among parents and students over the future of students in the higher institutions.
They are worried that the strike could affect education in the country. As the strike action by ASUU persists, parents have expressed concern over plights of their wards who are now idling at home.
They are afraid the situation may lead to untoward consequences. For several years, it has become virtually hard for students to graduate in government-owned institutions in record time without an extension to the duration of their courses of study due to incessant strikes.
A parent, Otabor Joy, said it is dangerous to leave youths idle for too long, as it could lead them into unhealthy behaviour, pointing out that “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”
She lamented that for students, losing valuable time that would have furthered their goals academically is really a pain, warning that they may find their focus shifting, which ultimately may impact their education and development.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic(ASUP) has directed its members to resume work on Monday, May 30, 2022, following the expiration of its two-week strike.
The union said it took the decision following some progress made with the Federal Government regarding its demands.
ASUP, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Yalwa disclosed that the government had met four of its demands.
It said the decision to resume work was to give the federal government more time to meet the remaining five demands.
The statement reads: “The two weeks definite strike of the union will be rounding off on the 29th of May, 2022 as agreed by the emergency meeting of NEC.
“Consequently, the union is requesting
members to resume duties effective 30th of May, 2022 while hoping that government will take advantage of the window to address the five outstanding items.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said that despite the non-payment of salaries to its members, the union remains undaunted in its struggle for a better university system.
Speaking to our correspondent on Friday, the Chairman of the union’s branch at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Dr. Adeola Egbedokun, confirmed to The PUNCH that the Federal Government stopped paying the salaries of striking lecturers since March 2022.
Dr. Egbedokun said, “The last time they paid us was February. Since March, they stopped paying the salaries.”
Another lecturer at the institution also confirmed the non-payment of the salaries.
Speaking further, Dr. Egbedokun said, “We’re used to it. The non-payment of salaries cannot break us.”
When asked about the next move of the union over the ongoing strike and the minimum wage arrears reportedly paid to the lecturers, the Chairman said that the wage arrears were statutory by the law and had nothing to do with their current agitations, saying, “If you observe, ASUU has not said anything about it, we decided not to, it is not the crux of our agitation.”
“What we’re expecting the government to do now is to come forward with a proposal, in response to the submitted renegotiated document, which has been with the government since May 2021. This time, we’re not signing or interested in any Memorandum or Agreement again. Let them come forward with a proposal in response to the renegotiated document, and let’s see how we can consider it.”
ASUU in its demands has called for the renegotiation of the ASUU/FG 2009 agreement and the sustainability of the university autonomy by deploying UTAS to replace the government’s “imposed” (IPPIS).
Also in its demands is the release of the reports of visitation panels to federal universities, distortions in salary payment challenges, funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowance, poor funding of state universities and promotion arrears.
Osodeke on Thursday said there won’t be a need to call off the strike despite the federal releasing N34 billion for the payment of consequential adjustment for a minimum wage of workers in the education system.
He further stated that the N34 billion released was not part of their demands.
Osodeke also sympathised with university students over the prolonged strike by the union.
According to Osodeke, the students are suffering for Nigeria’s future and education system.
The ASUU president said the students were not being punished but paying the price to ensure that Nigeria had a good education
The Federal Government says it will spend about N34 billion as arrears of Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustments in the education sector effective from 2019.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige said that this was aimed at resolving the lingering crisis in the sector, NAN reports.
Ngige made this known while speaking with newsmen on the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and others on Tuesday in Abuja.
Ngige said that the beneficiaries of the Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustments included the members of the striking ASUU and their counterparts in the polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
According to Ngige, the universities will get N23.5 billion, the polytechnics N6 billion and the Colleges of Education N4 billion, bringing the total sum to N33.5 billion.
The minister, while giving an update on the ongoing strike, said committees were set up during the last tripartite meeting of the government and university-based unions.
He said they were given a fortnight to turn in their report, adding they were still working and the reports of the committees were being expected at the end of the week.
“Those committees are working. The one on NITDA is testing the three platforms, the government’s Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
“Also the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) of ASUU and the Universities Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (UPPPS) of the non-teaching staff.
NANS South West Zone Coordinator, Mr Adegboye Olatunji, made this known in Abuja on Monday, at a protest to the All Progressive Congress (APC) Secretariat in solidarity with Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun to run for a second term.
Olatunji said that it was time both parties came together to resolve the issues leading to the strike as students were at the receiving end.
“We are planning to block government organisations that generate money for them if the ASUU issue is not resolved.
“We have been protesting on this issue by occupying major roads in the South West but we believe if we ground airports, the government will do something about the strike,” he said.
Olantunji said that the student body had dissociated itself from Abiodun’s prosecution and disqualification from contesting the 2023 elections.
He said Abiodun’s education policy remained enviable in the South West region because he’s coming on board had helped in the resuscitation of some tertiary institutions in the state.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has insisted that its members won’t resume work despite the Federal Government’s payment of minimum wage arrears.
This [was contained in a circular by the University of Lagos branch of the union titled, ‘Payment of minimum wage arrears’.
The chairman of UNILAG ASUU, Dele Ashiru, confirmed the authenticity of the circular on Saturday.
Ashiru described the arrears payment as “long-overdue”, saying that the core demands of ASUU have not been met.
The circular read, “The leadership of our Branch has been inundated with calls concerning the recent payment of the long-overdue arrears of the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage.
“Our members are reminded that this is not one of the core demands upon which the ongoing strike action is premised.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the demands of our Union are the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, abrogation of the fraudulent and corrupt IPPIS scheme and the deployment of UTAS, payment of promotion arrears, the proliferation of State Universities and governance issues amongst others.
That’s the ASUU strike update today, check back for more updates. Also, get more trending Naija news on Newsone Nigeria.