The federal government is meeting with Pro-Chalncesllors of over the incisant ASUU strike.
The meeting if as a result of the declaration of indefinite strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Minister of Education through the National Universities Commission has invited Pro-Chancellors and Chairmen of Councils and Vice-Chancellors to a special interactive meeting.
This was as ASUU rose from its National Executive Council (NEC), meeting with a resolve to transmute the roll-over strike to a comprehensive, total and indefinite strike which commenced from 12:01am on Monday.
ASUU noted its concerns for Nigerian students and condemned what it called Government’s seeming indifference to their plights, adding that it empathizes with the students, their parents, as well as other stakeholders including their members who are undertaking their higher degrees in the universities.
President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, who announced the position of the Union in a statement shortly after the meeting of its NEC meeting said that the demands of the Union had not been satisfactorily addressed hence its declaration for total comprehensive and indefinite strike.
In response to the position adopted by ASUU, the NUC in a statement signed by its Deputy Executive Secretary, Chris Maiyaki, explained that it has become necessary for the Governing Councils and the managements of the Universities to be briefed on the decisions and actions taken by the Federal Government so far.
The NUC explained that the meeting is to allow for a well-coordinated review of the situation, including building consensus around succeeding actions.
It further said; “You are quite aware, the industrial action by University-based Unions has led to the closure of the institutions since February 2022.
“You are also aware that the non-teaching Unions have suspended their industrial actions with effect from 24th August 2022, while a final decision is being awaited from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
“Consequently, I am to invite the Pro-Chancellors & Chairmen of Councils as well as Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities to a special interactive meeting with the Honourable Minister of Education,” it said.
The meeting is expected to hold on September 6, 2022 at the National Universities Commission NUC, Abuja.
However, ASUU has insisted that its strikes are aimed at saving public education, and ensuring that Governments (Federal and State) use common patrimony to support quality public university education.
Prof. Osodeke said; “In view of the foregoing, and following extensive deliberations on Government’s response to the resolution of 14th February, 2022 so far, NEC concluded that the demands of the Union had not been satisfactorily addressed.
“Consequently, NEC resolved to transmute the roll-over strike to a comprehensive, total and indefinite strike action beginning from 12:01am on Monday, 29th August, 2022”.
The ASUU NEC noted that in defence of the integrity of the process leading to the agreement reached with government, the Briggs Committee had confirmed that all the proposals and recommendations it made to ASUU were properly discussed and cleared with their Principal.
It further sated; “The Committee also confirmed that throughout the renegotiation process, all the relevant government agencies, including National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Budget and Finance and Federal Character Commission (FCC), were in attendance.
“In addition, the paid advert by the Briggs-led Government Team equally showed that the figure of N1.1 Trillion quoted by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, and his Minister of State, Festus Keyamo, and some other government officials as amount needed to implement the salary increase, came from some imaginative blues and was no way close to reality,” it said.
ASUU however commended members of Briggs-led Team for their unprecedented act of courage stressing however that the Government failed to deliver on the promised balance of one tranche of the Revitalization Fund mor
