Strike: ASUU Gives Federal Government 3-Weeks Ultimatum

There are indications that another nationwide strike across Nigerian universities is imminent as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has cried out over the failure of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to fulfill its lingering demands. In an effort to drive home its requests, the union gave the government a three-week ultimatum to meet its demands contained in the Memorandum of Action (MoA), signed by both parties. According to the union, failure to comply could resort to industrial action, adding that the government should be held responsible if they fail to address the issues.

ASUU national president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke made the disclosure after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the University of Abuja on November 13 and November 14. Osodeke, lamented that despite its meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige back in major outstanding issues are still lingering. Emmanuel Osodeke, the national president of ASUU stated that government had not implemented the agreement it reached with the union nor responded to the ultimatum.

The union had on, July 19 issued a fresh ultimatum to FG, to pay the outstanding 10-month arrears of its members’ salaries or be prepared for another industrial action. Meanwhile, the panel set up by the ASUU chapter of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), said the appointment of the minister of communications, Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami, as a professor of Cybersecurity by the university followed due process.

It would be recalled that the panel was inaugurated by the ASUU chapter of the university at its congress on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021. The panel in its report asked the university management to protect the integrity of FUTO by taking steps to correct some misrepresentations against it.