On March 14, the association extended the strike action by another two months to give the government more time to address all of its demands.
Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore has lambasted Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian government over the ongoing strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
ASUU had embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14 to press home its demands, with the prominent ones being 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).
Other demands include 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.
On March 14, the association extended the strike action by another two months to give the government more time to address all of its demands.
The union in a statement by its President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke on Monday said it would be rolling over the ongoing strike for another 12 weeks.
Reacting in a tweet, Sowore accused Nigerian government officials of being selfish.
According to the activist, the “selfish elites quickly resolved and stopped airlines from shutting down services” but failed to end the strike keeping students at home.
He tweeted, “ASUU has extended strike by 12 weeks, before you know it Nigerian students would have stayed home the entire year & the selfish elites quickly resolved and stopped airlines from shutting down services! It is time to act! Nigerian students, where art thou?”
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had, on Friday, announced its decision to stop operations from Monday over the hike in the price of aviation fuel.
However, the association on Sunday suspended the action.
AON said the decision to suspend the planned shutdown was taken after “numerous calls from the highest echelons in government”.
The association said the Nigerian government promised urgent intervention, adding that the suspension of the operation shutdown would be followed by dialogue.