THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its two-week warning strike that began on October 13 and due to expire on Monday, October 27, following what it described as commitments from the Federal Government and the National Assembly to address its demands.
ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, who announced the decision at a press conference in Abuja, on Wednesday, October 22, cited recent interventions and engagements with the Yayale Ahmed-led committee, as well as the Deputy Senate President, barau Jibrin, as reasons for suspending the strike ahead of the scheduled expiration.
Piwuna said the suspension takes effect from midnight of Wednesday, October 22, urging government to take advantage of the one-month suspension window to meet their demands, including review of the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government agreement, payment of outstanding salaries and earned allowances, and disbursement of the university revitalisation fund, among others.
He warned that the union would resume the strike without prior notice if no concrete steps are taken within the next one month.
Recall that ASUU declared a two-week “total and comprehensive” strike on October 12, following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the government on September 28 over its failure to address issues bordering on staff welfare, infrastructure development, implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement and payment of salary arrears.
In response, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said the union shouldn’t have gone on any strike, as talks had reached a final phase and that government had released N50billion for earned academic allowances and allocated N150billion in this year’s budget for a needs assessment to be disbursed in three installments.
It directed federal-owned universities to implement the “no work, no pay” policy, “in line with extant provisions of labour laws,” and vice chancellors to conduct roll calls and physical headcounts of academic staff in their institutions and submit reports showing those on duty.
Following concerns over the effect of the strike on university students, the senate intervened, describing government’s inability to meet ASUU’s demands as unacceptable.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Aliyu Dandutse, after a meeting with ASUU leadership, said the chamber would immediately initiate a negotiation process, involving key stakeholders, including ASUU, Federal Ministry of Education and National Universities Commission (NUC) to chart a was forward toward a permanent resolution of the crisis.
He also said the senate would also engage with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to find an amicable solution over the controversial issue concerning University of Abuja land.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had earlier threatened to join forces with ASUU. At a meeting between the NLC and leaders of tertiary institution-based unions, including ASUU, SSANU, NASU and NAAT, on Monday, October 20, the umbrella Labour union gave the federal government four week to resolve all the issues with ASUU and other tertiary institution-based unions, saying if it failed to conclude negotiations with all the unions within the stipulated time, it would not hesitate to take drastic actions by activating all the necessary instruments.
According to NLC President, Joe Ajaero: “We have decided to give the federal government four weeks to conclude all negotiations in this sector. They have started talks with ASUU, but the problem in this sector goes beyond ASUU.
“That is why we are extending this to four weeks. If after four weeks this negotiation is not concluded, the organs of the NEC will meet and take a nationwide action that all workers in the country, all unions in the country will be involved, so that we get to the root of all this.
“The era of signing agreements, negotiations and threatening the unions involved, that era has come to an end.”
The strike had paralysed academic and other activities at state and federal universities in the country for nearly two weeks.
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