ASUU begins nationwide strike July 2, 2013 Agboola Ayo News No comments Academic activities may be paralyzed on university campuses nationwide once again as the all too familiar gene of strike pops out of the bottle. The umbrella body of university teachers, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) declared yesterday that they would down tools indefinitely to compel the federal government to implement the agreement reached with the union in October 2009. Indications to this effect emerged at the University of Ibadan when the school’s academic staff received a text message which alerted them to the impending industrial action. The SMS reads: “Good morning, this is to officially inform you that ASUU has declared a total, comprehensive and indefinite STRIKE from today 1/7/2013. Await further briefing. ASUU, UI”. Immediately the text was received, the obviously excited lecturers praised the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC) on the decision to proceed on strike “to improve the condition of the nation’s universities and enhance quality of service delivery”. The NEC of ASUU, which concluded its meeting at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, was said to have considered the state of implementation at the universities and concluded that the federal government has not been faithful in implementing the agreements substantially. ASUU will reportedly officially address a world press conference tomorrow on the strike. Sources at the NEC said the decision to proceed on strike included failure of the government to meet the funding requirements for revitalisation of Nigerian universities; and progressive increase of annual budgetary allocation to education to 26 percent between 2009 and 2020. “Earned allowances”, and setting up of Research and Development units by companies operating in Nigeria and teaching and research equipment provision to laboratories and classrooms are the other bones of contention. According to the source, ASUU took the decision after “observing all possible means of making government implement the agreement yielded no results”. Incidentally, immediately the text message circulated, some lecturers at the premier university who were slated for lectures demurred, even as their students waited in vain. The University of Ibadan undergraduates resumed the second semester only last week, with the students gnashing their teeth over the latest development.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Jul 2013 04:53:20 +0000