The Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) has given the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to resolve several lingering issues.
ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke gave the ultimatum in a statement on Wednesday.
Osodeke expressed frustration over alleged delay tactics being used by the government to shy away from its pending commitments.
He noted that the governmentโs behaviour towards the unionโs members is fueling a crisis in the public university system and warned that the union should not be blamed for the looming industrial disharmony.
โIn view of the foregoing, ASUU resolves to give the Nigerian Government another 14 days, in addition to the earlier 21 days, beginning from Monday, September 23, 2024, during which all the lingering issues must have been concretely addressed to the satisfaction of the membership of the union.
โThe union should not be held responsible for any industrial disharmony that arises from the governmentโs failure to seize the new opportunity offered by ASUU to nip the looming crisis in the bud,โ ASUU said
ASUU is seeking the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committeeโs Draft Agreement of 2021, as well as the release of withheld salaries due to the 2022 strike action.
Apart from 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, and the payment of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions.
The union is also seeking funding for the revitalization 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, the implementation of the reports of visitation panels to universities, the reversal of the illegal dissolution of Governing Councils, and the adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution as a replacement for IPPIS.