The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday warned of a full-blown strike due to the discouraging manner it said the federal government had been handling the industrial dispute it declared.
Chairman of Ibadan zone of the union, through its coordinator, Professor Biodun Olaniran, who disclosed this while addressing journalists at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, stated that government officials were feeding the public with false news, frustrating efforts to speedily conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement.
ASUU stated that its real demand was the re-negotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement being currently handled by the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed-led committee that would produce a new salary structure to replace the Consolidated University Salary Scale (CONUASS) given the galloping inflation in the country since then.
The union declared a two-week warning strike on October 13, but the strike was suspended five days to its expiry due to perceived genuine interventions from students, parents, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the media and all other critical stakeholders.
The union then gave a month’s window in line with the ultimatum given by the NLC for governments to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement as well as to resolve all the associated issues.
ASUU Ibadan zone comprises the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Osun State University, Osogbo, Kwara State University, Malete and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo (Adefemi Afolabi -ASUU-UI, Alex Akanmu, ASUU-UNILORIN, Ben Olujimi Dada- ASUU-LAUTECH, Olaosebikan Wende, ASUU-UNIOSUN, Shehu Abdulganiyu Salau- ASUU-KWASUMichael Bamidele Ojo -ASUU-EAUED”
The zonal press conference was addressed by the zonal coordinator, Professor Biodun Olaniran, who was flanked by other chairmen from the zone.
According to Olaniran, ASUU had expected that a government focused on national development, technological innovation and advancement would spare no effort to work within the deadline by giving a marching order to its agents; unfortunately, the government had been dealing with the without the seriousness the issues deserve.
“Regrettably, just about eight days to the expiration of the one-month window, nothing significant has been done other than the usual misinformation, disinformation and propaganda,” he said.
