By Grace Udofia
Nigeria’s umbrella body for public universities, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has explained why it’s union would not commence the nationwide strike on Tuesday as it had earlier threatened the Federal Government.
According to reports, a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) had explained that even though the union had given the Federal Government Tuesday, August 31 as deadline, there were still steps and processes that guides them as to that regards.
The member said even if the government fails to meet their demands on Tuesday, they won’t just begin an industrial action same day.
He said, “Assuming that the demands are not met within the stipulated period, we won’t just begin an industrial action that same day.
“The reason is that ASUU is not a one-man union and is not run like a one-man show. If the demands are not met, the national leadership would call a meeting of NEC and report back to it.
“It is at that NEC meeting that the next step would be decided on. As we talk now, no NEC meeting has been called and so the likelihood of a strike starting on Tuesday is not there.
“Our demands from the government are just three. We want the government to sign and implement the renegotiated agreement we have with them
“That the government should also mainstream our Academic Earned Allowances and to pay the N40 billon revitalisation Fund”.
Recall that ASUU had on Sunday threatened the Federal Government that it would embark on a nationwide strike by Tuesday which is the last day in August, if it failed to meet the agreement signed with the union despite a similar action in 2020 that lasted for nine months leaving thousands of students stranded for a full academic year.
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