ACADEMIC Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) chapter, has said it will continue with ongoing industrial action until the Federal Government (FG) reverts to the new draft agreement of the 2009 FGN/ASUU renegotiation committee.
ASUU had, on February 14, 2022, embarked on nationwide strike over what it described as insensitivity of FG to their plights and inability to meet demands.
In a communiqué issued after its congress and signed by the Chairperson of ASUU, FUTO chapter, Dr. Chinedu Ihejirika, and the Secretary, Dr. Etienne Chinakwe, the union stated that its decision was taken in good faith and for the interest of union members.
The union flayed government over its inability to release adequate funds meant for revitalisation of universities, as well as its failure to release results of visitation panels to federal universities.
It also insisted that the FG’s failure to address the proliferation of state-owned universities, its unwillingness to complete the payment of earned academic allowances, as well as deployment of University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as payment platform for academics against Integrated Payroll and Personnel information System (IPPIS) were of immense worry and concern.
The academic union also accused FG of totally neglecting the principle of collective bargaining by abandoning the report of its own committees (Babalakin committee, Munzali committee and, most recently, Nimi Briggs committee) set up to resolve lingering issues.
The academic union stated: “FG has demonstrated lack of interest and sincerity in addressing infrastructure decay and persistent brain drain in Nigerian university system.
Simialrly, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) Awka, chapter of the academic union said it has also resolved to sustain the strike action indefinitely until all issues are satisfactorily resolved between the union and FG.
The ASUU NAU Chairperson, Stephen Ufoaroh, disclosed that the union took the decision during the congress held on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, where they passed a vote of confidence and reaffirmed support for the national, zonal and branch leaderships of the union in their management of the struggle to save the soul of public universities in Nigeria.
where over 95 per cent of Nigerian students study, and for being a voice for the voiceless citizens of Nigeria.
