‘Don’t blame us if university system is disrupted’ — ASUU threatens strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it should not be held responsible if there is any disruption in the university system.

Biodun Ogunyemi, national president of the union, was speaking in Abuja while updating the public on the ongoing renegotiation with the government.

Adamu Adamu, minister of education, had announced, on Tuesday, that the federal government approved an additional N25 billion allowance for members of ASUU.

But Ogunyemi said the money should have been released in February 2019, as agreed, since it was meant to be a part-payment of the earned academic allowances.

He also accused the federal government of displaying “lackadaisical attitude” towards the implementation of the 2019 memorandum of action (MoA).

“Since information on the amounts mentioned in the media went round, the ASUU has been inundated with enquiries on the union’s perspective to the story,” he said.

“Funding for the revitalisation of public universities has for years been of very high priority to ASUU.

“Reaching an agreement with the Federal Government has often been a frustrating journey for our union. It is often marked with protests, strikes and requires a conscious and focused engagement. The 2001 agreement, which gave birth to the 2009 agreement, was not an exemption. The exception here is the personality leading the government negotiation team.

“The current leadership of the government team clearly lacks the academic disposition and humility needed to undertake such task.

“Our members enjoy their work and hate to see any disruption in the smooth running of our universities. However, the level of frustration occasioned by the lackadaisical attitude of the government towards meeting the terms of the 2019 Memorandum of Action that was freely signed with our union is increasingly becoming unbearable.

“We, therefore, call on all Nigerian patriots, parents and students including the Nigeria Labour Congress to prevail on the government to keep to the terms of our agreement. Otherwise, our union should not be held responsible for any disruption in the system.”