‘Why ASUU suspended its planned strike’

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has disclosed that the decision to suspend its planned nationwide strike followed fresh promises by the Federal Government to accede to its demands.

ASUU National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said though the government is yet to take any serious action regarding their concerns, it has made a number of new promises with a timeline to address them.

Osodeke highlighted their demands to include payment of revitalisation funds, earned academic allowances and other entitlements, withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries, as well as renegotiation of previous agreement.

He said: “When we met with the government, we were informed that our concerns would be addressed in the 2025 appropriation, and that the funds would be released immediately after its passage. Now, the budget has been passed and signed for implementation.

“There is no excuse for the government not to act as promised. We are giving the present administration till end of March to fulfill its commitment before the union decides on its next line of action.”

Osodeke said although ASUU does not rely on promises, but on concrete action, especially when dealing with the government due to past experiences of unfulfilled commitments, he, however, stated that the union is willing, this time, to give the government the benefit of doubt.

“We are giving the government this opportunity, especially since it has provided some evidence of commitment in the 2025 budget and has involved the Accountant General of the Federation in addressing our demands,” Osodeke stated.

The union has been at loggerheads with the federal government over its failure to meet its demands, which were the conclusion of the renegotiation of the FGN/ASUU Agreement based on Nimi Briggs Committee’s draft Agreement of 2021; release of withheld three-and-half months salaries on account of the 2022 strike action; release of unpaid salaries of staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments owing to the application of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS); release of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions; Funding for revitalisation of public universities (partly captured in 2023 Federal Government’s Budget).

Others are Earned Academic Allowances (partly captured in the 2023 Federal Government’s Budget); proliferation of universities by Federal and State Governments; implementation of the reports of visitation panels to universities; and University Transparency and Accountability Solutions (in place of IPPIS).