- Says members will not be in classes but…
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, on Monday, said the Federal Government owned her Universities and can decide when to close and open the institutions.
ASUU Chairman, University of Ibadan, Prof Ayoola Akinwole, who stated this in Ibadan, said that the Union never shut down the Universities
As reported by Vanguard, he said her members would not be in classes but will continue to do their research and community services.
Akinwole said the Union is on strike with her members withdrawing their services from teaching, supervising and holding statutory meetings in line with the ongoing strike.
“We remain committed to our resolve to prosecute the strike and our members have resolved not to be caged by tyrannical orders. As you know, we have appealed the Industrial Court ruling.
“Our members will have nothing to do with teaching, supervision nor attend statutory meetings until our demands are met and the strike is suspended by the leadership of the union.”
He urged the Federal Government to do the needful and sign a renegotiated agreement with the union, and pay revitalisation funds and earned allowances, among others.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government’s order for vice-chancellors to reopen schools and allow students to resume lectures has evoked knocks from netizens, according to The Punch.
The FG, through the National Universities Commission, ordered the resumption of lectures amid the seven-month ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
However, the order has caused outrage among tweeps, who faulted FG’s directive and decried the ongoing clash between the union and the Muhammadu Buhari-led regime.
A tweep, @kingsleyiosagi1, said, “It’s so unfortunate. In 2014, the same Buhari was against Goodluck Jonathan that Asuu strike has taken too long. Now it’s his turn. No wonder they think there is a political party using ASUU because they know what they used ASUU to achieve in the past government.”
Another tweep, @sagecares, wrote, “FG is weak to meet demands but has the strength to (give) order.”
Other Twitter users decried the non-payment of lecturers’ salaries during the strike and expressed sadness about the strike’s effect on students.
@KOsaigbevo said, “Imagine a lecturer with unpaid salaries for months setting and marking exam questions. Mentally, are they ready to lecture? Plus, you can only force a horse to the river, you can’t force it to drink.
“It’s so sad to see innocent students caught up in a fight they know nothing about.”
In support, @ogundeleIsrae10 added, “Ordering them to resume without meeting their demands or paying their backlog salaries is as good as they don’t resume. You cannot force them to lecture on an empty stomach.”
Hailing the union’s struggles, @ernesticano11 tweeted, “It is only those with same bad minds with FG that will support them in this their nonsense order. Why haven’t we heard that presidents, governors, senators, honourables, ministers and soldiers are being owed? ASUU should never back out of this journey. They must stand and fight FG.”
Seven months after, the Federal Government had ordered the vice-chancellors of universities to re-open schools and allow students resume lectures.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has been on strike for about seven months now.
The association is demanding from FG the funding of the Revitalisation of Public Universities, Earned Academic Allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) and promotion arrears.
Others are the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FG Agreement and the inconsistency in Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System.
Recall that the federal government went to court to challenge the action of the association. Last week the national industrial court through Polycarp Hamman, the judge in the NIC, granted the federal government’s application for an interlocutory injunction to restrain ASUU from continuing with the strike.
The outcome of the judgement was questioned by Femi Falana, human rights lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who stated that the national industrial court does not have jurisdiction to rule on the case between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
However, tired of the lingering strike the Federal Government through the National Universities Commission ordered vice-chancellors to re-open schools and allow students resume lectures.
In a letter disclosed to journalists on Monday, signed by the Director, Finance and Accounts of the NUC, Sam Onazi, on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the commission, Professor Abubakar Rasheed, FG instructed all vice-chancellors; Pro-Chancellors and chairmen of governing councils of federal universities to re-open schools.
“Ensure that ASUU members immediately resume/commence lectures; Restore the daily activities and routines of the various University campuses”, part of the letter read.
