By David Atologbe (Education Correspondent)
Despite pleas by President Muhammadu Buhari to the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to show understand with government in his regime's bid to meet with the demands of the University Lecturers, ASUU, at the weekend, urged its state chapters in Nigeria to embark on massive sensitization of the public on the situation between the federal government and the union.
To this effect, ASUU National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed that the union has declared Monday, February 7, 2022, as lecture-free day in all Nigerian Universities in order to ensure the success of the sensitization effort.
Prof Osodeke, in an interview, clarified that ASUU was yet to declare action but would first of all sensitisize the members of the public and the media, on what is going on between it and the government.
Already, President Buhari, had, following several negotiation moves between the ASUU and the Government delegations led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator (Dr) Chris Ngige, announced commitment by his administration to fulfil the agreement between government and the union.
Buhari gave the assurance recently when members of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council visited him to discuss the intractable impasse. He pleaded with the union to show understanding considering the present harsh economic realities in the country.
ASUU embarked on a prolonged industrial action in March 2020 which lasted till December of that year when a Memorandum of Action was signed with the government. But a year after signing the MoA, ASUU accused the government of failing to fulfil its side of the bargain and threatened to mobilise for another strike immediately.
To avert the strike, government promptly released N55bn as part-payment for the Earned Academic Allowance and Revitalisation Fund, but the ASUU wasn't impressed until the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council and other dignitaries intervened. NNL.
