The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on February 14, 2022, announced the commencement of industrial action due to what it described as a “failure” on the part of the government to meet some of the lingering demands of the union.
Save-Public-Education Campaign has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to embark on a 3-day nationwide strike over the continued shutdown of universities in Nigeria.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on February 14, 2022, announced the commencement of industrial action due to what it described as a “failure” on the part of the government to meet some of the lingering demands of the union.
The union cited the failure of the government to release revitalisation funds for universities; non-release of earned allowances to lecturers; end the proliferation of universities by politicians and state governments; refusal to deploy the University Transparency Accountability System for the payment of salaries and allowances of lecturers; and refusal to renegotiate the ASUU-FGN 2009 agreement as reasons for the strike.
Save-Public-Education Campaign conveners, Comrade Vivian Bello and Comrade Dimeji Macaulay in a statement on Wednesday described the strike action as a crime against humanity.
According to the group, it’s ridiculous that despite the huge amount of money the government has lost to corruption, as well as expended on politics, it could not, by all means, deem it important to meet ASUU’s demands.
The statement read, “For us in the SAVE-PUBLIC EDUCATION-CAMPAIGN, this is a pure disaster as there cannot be a greater disservice to the generation of young Nigerians as our University Students are than systematically denying them education. We view this purely as a crime against humanity and we want to make it clear, that we will hold all those in authority in this country, as well as in the education sector itself responsible for this.
“We find it completely ridiculous that despite the huge amount of money the government has lost to corruption, as well as expended on politics, the federal government could not, by all means, deem it important to meet ASUU’s demands.
"For the records, ASUU began the ongoing strike on February 14, 2022, after the Federal Government reneged severally on implementing the agreement it freely entered into with the Union in 2009. One month after the lecturers withdrew their services, non-teaching staff in the sector also commenced strike action on very similar grounds.
“Some of the contentious issues that led to the strike include the non-release of revitalization fund, non-payment of earned allowances (or earned academic allowances), renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement, the release of white paper of visitation panels, non-payment of minimum wage arrears and the inconsistency occasioned by the use of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS. The alternative, UTAS proposed by ASUU has been tested and proven but the federal government continues to grandstand on IPPIS which is largely corruption-ridden.
“In a similar vein, there have been rumors that the federal government is planning to ban ASUU as a punitive action for refusing to suspend the strike. This is totally ill-adviced and highly draconian. SAVE-PUBLIC EDUCATION-CAMPAIGN candidly advices the government to banish such thoughts, as we and all men and organizations of goodwill, will continue to defend the 1999 constitution, under which Chapter 4 of its Provisions, firmly and unequivocally provides for, and guaranties the Freedom of Association and Assembly, which is also provided for, and protected by the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights as well as the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, Convention No 87of the International Labour Organisation, ILO.
“Instead of banning ASUU, we rather call on the government to meet ASUU’s demands without further delay and in so doing, take urgent steps to redeem whatever is left of the integrity of the tertiary education system of Nigeria, which is fast turning into a laughing stock in the comity of Nations.
“We make an unequivocal call to the federal government and specifically the Ministry of Education authorities; to pay the striking lecturers their six months withheld salaries. Continuing to grandstand on this and by consequence prolonging the strike action, is a great disservice to the destinies of the millions of young Nigerian students who are looking up to their government to act responsibly and conciliatorily for the sake of their future which hangs perilously in the balance now.
“Lastly, we again also call on Nigerian Students, Organized Labour, Workers and Civil Society Groups to unite and remain consistent in mobilizing support for ASUU until their demands are met and our Universities re-open to normalcy again. In this regard, we strongly urge the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to, in gloomy periods as this, unite and embark on the three-day general strike as they earlier committed to, in solidarity with the struggles of the lecturers and students in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector. Indeed, no effort or sacrifice is too much to make for the cause and sake of our children all over Nigeria.”