By Emmanuel Adeleke
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has given the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to address several unresolved issues dating back to 2009.
ASUU is seeking the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement of 2021, as well as the release of withheld salaries due to the 2022 strike action.
ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, in a statement on Wednesday expressed frustration with the government’s lack of commitment and delay tactics, stating that these actions are fueling a crisis in the public university system.
“ASUU resolves to give the Nigerian Government an additional 14 days, on top of the previous 21 days, starting from Monday, September 23, 2024, during which all lingering issues must be satisfactorily resolved.
“The union should not be blamed for any industrial unrest resulting from the government’s failure to use this opportunity to prevent the impending crisis,” he said.
Aside the implementation of the 2021 agreement, ASUU is also demanding the release of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), and the payment of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions.
The union is also seeking funding for the revitalisation of public universities, partly captured in the 2023 Federal Government budget, and the payment of Earned Academic Allowances partly captured in the 2023 Federal Government budget.
Other issues include the proliferation of universities by federal and state governments, implementation of the reports of visitation panels to universities, reversal of the illegal dissolution of Governing Councils, and adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a replacement for IPPIS.