Federal Government has been warned by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Sunday to heed to their agreement otherwise they will embark on a fresh indefinite strike.
Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, the Union president, made this known to the public through an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday beckoning on every Nigerian to mount pressure on the Government. He said that the Federal Government has not kept to their promise having signed the Memorandum of Association (MOA) on the 7th of February and that the Government had been silent and had left undone what they ought to have done.
Giving an example prior to suspending of the strike the last time, he further hinted that the Nigerian Government promised to set up ‘A Visitation Panel’ to our universities within two weeks reaching agreement with the Union. Three month had passed without Federal Government doing anything in that aspect. He said that to the best of his knowledge no Panel had been set up or inaugurated.
The Nigerian Government had on February 28 of this year promised to pay a sum of N25 billion as part payment of outstanding arrears of the EARN Academic Allowances.
The Union president further said that during their renegotiation with Dr Wale Babalakin, the Federal Government promised a good and cordial relationship if they should come to the discussion table but then there seem to be no difference in the behaviour of the Government before and after the renegotiation. In his words, he said that the Union has a limit to time of their actions thereby calling on the Government to keep to their promise.
According to the president, the Nigerian Government had told the union of approval of funds approved yet the funds had not gotten to the Union. This action would leave the Union Members doubt the Government’s faithfulness in fulfilling its promise. This would only make the leadership harken to the pressure mounted on them by the followers, he claimed.
As a form of creating awareness to the public, Prof Ogunyemi conclusively urged Nigerians to speak out to avoid disruption of the Academic Calendar and creating instability in the universities.
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