The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Owerri Zone has contradicted the Federal Government’s assertion that insufficient funds are hindering it from coming into a resolution with the university lecturers.
ASUU in a statement signed by the Zonal Coordinator, ASUU Owerri Zone, Dennis Aribodor on Monday stated that the government only lacks political will to act.
To avert a total and indefinite strike action, the Union has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government to address lingering issues relating to their welfare and unpaid entitlements.
Aribodor stated that the ultimatum was issued by five universities from Imo, Abia and Anambra states.
“On behalf of ASUU Owerri Zone comprising Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Igbariam, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State University Owerri, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, I welcome you to this very important Zonal Press Conference aimed at averting new round of industrial crisis in our public universities, which houses about 95 percent of Nigeria undergraduate students.
“The resolution of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), following its meeting at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, 17th-18th August 2024, gave a 21-day ultimatum to the Government of Nigeria to address all the unresolved issues that have plagued the public university system.
“This ultimatum was duly communicated to the government through the Minister of Education via a letter dated 20th August 2024,” he said.
The Union stated that It has become clear from recent engagements that the current government has continued with the old antics, characterized by bureaucratic bottlenecks, time-buying tactics, denial of documentation, and lack of budgetary provisions, to confound and complicate matters.
“It is a fact that funds were allocated for payment of EAA and revitalization of public universities in the 2023 budget. It is also true that the Presidential directive on moving academics out of the IPPIS platform has not been heeded for close to one year.
“Our union shall not sit idly by and watch agents of government undermine its resolve to cater for the welfare of its members and protect the integrity of the university system through these and similar acts of provocation.
“Information available to ASUU does not support the government’s claims of insufficient funds, but points squarely to the deficit of political will. The substantial inflows from subsidy removal and devaluation of the Naira, translating to the humongous monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements to the three tiers of government make nonsense of the outlandish claims.
“Elementary economics suggests that both Federal and State Governments do not prioritize the welfare and well-being of Nigerian academics; otherwise, the prolonged engagements with ASUU should have yielded fruitful outcomes for stability and industrial harmony in the Nigerian University System,” the union said.
The Union stated that the governments’ continued use of empty promises, non-committal attitude, and delay tactics is fanning the embers of crisis in the nation’s public university system.
“Lecturers are hungry and angry! Therefore, we call on all well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on governments to address these outstanding issues in line with the African Union’s strategy of using the path of quality and accessible education towards realizing the AU agenda 2063. This is especially as 2024 has been declared the African Union Year of Education. The Nigerian ruling class should stop paying lip service to funding public education, which they benefited from in their days,” the Union stated.
The Union, while giving the government 14 days ultimatum to resolve the issues, added that ASUU should not be held responsible for any industrial disharmony that may arise from governments’ failure to seize the new opportunity offered by ASUU to nip the looming crisis in the bud.
“In view of the foregoing, ASUU has resolved to give the Nigerian Government another 14 days, in addition to the earlier 21 days, beginning from Monday, 23rd September 2024 during which all the lingering issues should be satisfactorily addressed. ASUU should not be held responsible for any industrial disharmony that may arise from governments’ failure to seize the new opportunity offered by ASUU to nip the looming crisis in the bud.
“We also call on the Anambra and Imo State Governments to show more interest in the welfare issues of our members at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam and Imo State University, Owerri for the good of all. The Federal Government is urged to cease this 14 days window and avert another industrial crisis in our public universities,” the union said.
Recall that ASUU last week, gave the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to resolve several lingering issues.
ASUU is seeking the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s 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.