By John Ikani
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has hinted at the possibility of an impending industrial action as the national leadership of the union has directed its members nationwide to declare lecture-free day on Monday, February 7, in preparation for a possible showdown with the Nigerian Government.
The National President of the Union, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Saturday evening.
Prof Osodeke clarified that the union had not yet declared a strike, but would be sensitising the public, which includes the media, on the state of affairs between the union and the Federal Government.
Multiple circulars issued by the various branches of the union announcing the decision, noted that the lecture-free day will be used to sensitise the university communities and the general public on the failure of the government to honour an agreement the parties entered into in December 2020, and which led to the suspension of a nine-month prolonged strike then
The directive to the chapters of ASUU comes less than a week after the President, Muhammadu Buhari pledged the commitment of his administration to fulfilling agreements with the union.
Mr Buhari made the promise when members of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) visited him to share thoughts with him on the lingering issues.
While making the pledge, Mr Buhari, however, pleaded with the union to exercise patience and consider current economic realities.
The last national strike by ASUU was in March 2020 and lasted till December when the Memorandum of Action (MoA) was signed.
However, a year after signing the MoA, ASUU accused the Government of failing to fulfil its side of the bargain and threatened to mobilise for another strike immediately.
The Government quickly moved to pay N55 billion as part-payment for the Earned Academic Allowance and Revitalisation Fund, but the union was unmoved until NIREC and other dignitaries waded in.
