ASUU says no going back on intended strike, despite Senate’s intervention
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says there is no going back on its one-week warning strike scheduled to begin on Wednesday, November 16.
A plenary session was held by the Senate in view to resolve the disagreement between the union and the federal government on Tuesday but Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, the union’s National President, maintained the strike will go ahead as planned.
Ogunyemi, in a chat with NAN, cited federal government’s refusal to fulfill its “empty promises” as the reason for the union’s action. He bemoaned the fact that “lecturers are given 40 per cent of their salaries, which is just not encouraging, as this will lead to poor commitment in carrying out their jobs.”
“There shall be no teaching, no examination and no attendance of statutory meetings of any kind in any of our branches while the strike lasts,” he said.
“Nobody will say before we exhaust the warning strike some issues cannot be addressed if government want to be sincere with our cause. We are doing this because we want Nigerians to come into the matter and ensure that these issues are given adequate attention they deserve.”
The association’s Deputy National President corroborated Ogunyemi’s grouse with the government, saying it was time it took the country’s education seriously.
“ASUU has done well by giving warning, considering the patience its members have shown in these whole issues,” he said.
According to the Union’s president, the union will put machinery in place to ensure that there is total compliance during the strike.
