ASUU accuses FG of dishonesty in negotiations, vows to continue strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yesterday, accused the Federal Government of being dishonest over the years on the negotiations and non-implementation of 2009 FG-ASUU agreements.

Addressing newsmen at a media briefing in Awka, Anambra State, Owerri Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Uzo Onyebinama, said the union would not call off the strike until all the agreements reached with the Federal Government were renegotiated and endorsed by both parties.

He made the assertion in company of ASUU representatives from the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State University, Owerri, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Onyebinama lamented government’s deceitful position at the expense of the future of Nigerian students, insisting that the Federal Government has been feeding members of the public with lies and half-truths.

“The Federal Government claimed to have reached an agreement with ASUU on virtually all the issues that necessitated the strike since February. ASUU is not ready to end the strike until all the agreements are renegotiated and signed, despite its negative implications on its members.

“Our salaries have not been paid since February, they’ve managed to pay some till June, while some are being owed nine months and some three months, because of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) confusion, but we will continue the struggle,” he said.

He, however, solicited understanding and support from students and their parents to prevail on the Federal Government to do the needful, saying the protracted strike was aimed at salvaging the country’s university education system.

Continuing, he said the union did not want further Memorandum of Actions, but implementations, because there had been series of them without implementations, which he said, led ASUU to the incessant strikes.

He warned that should the Federal Government continue to dilly-dally on the matter, other forces might take over the struggle from the union, adding: “NANS has given an ultimatum for the strike to end so as to return to school, we don’t know their next line of action.”

ASUU has been on strike for about eight months demanding Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreements, revitalisation fund for public universities, discontinuation of proliferation of state universities among others, which they said, would improve teaching and learning conditions in our universities, as well as workers’ welfare.