The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the National Peace Committee headed by the former military ruler, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar (retd), to prevail on the Federal Government to meet its demands that have been causing a crisis between them for many years.
The union also sought the intervention of other well-meaning Nigerians and groups, such as civil society organisations, religious leaders, labour unions and so forth in the crisis.
The union said that e quick intervention to resolve their differences is the only way to avert the planned indefinite nationwide strike if their ongoing 14-day ultimatum should elapse without the government meeting their demands.
Other National Peace Committee members include Bishop Matthew Kukah; Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Mr Femi Otedola, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammadu Sa’ad; Hon. Justice Roseline Ukeje; Mr John Momoh of Channel Television; Prof Ibrahim Gambari; Mr Amuka Pemu of Vanguard Newspapers; Ms Idayat Hassan and so forth.
The Lagos Zone coordinator of the union and Professor of Political Science, Mr Adelaja Odukoya, made the call in a statement on Sunday.
Lagos Zone of ASUU consists of seven universities including University of Lagos (UNILAG); Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta( FUNAAB); Lagos State University(LASU); Tai- Solarin University of Education, Ijagun-Ijebu Ode; Ogun State University, Ago- Iwoye; Lagos State University of Technology, Ikorodu and the Lagos State University of Education, Ijanikin.
According to Odukoya, ASUU has taken all the necessary steps to get to this stage and should therefore not be held accountable for any industrial discord that may erupt if the government refuses to show convincing commitment to meeting all its demands.
He said the industrial action is still preventable now with the 14-day window opportunity given in the last ultimatum in addition to the earlier 21-day.
He re-emphasised that ASUU did not make any fresh demands but the same old demands that have traversed many years.
While also declaring that ASUU is totally disagreed with the Federal Government to allocate 35 per cent of the TETFUND’s money to pay students loans, Odukoya listed ASUU’s demands to include the completion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement of 2021; the release of withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries due to the 2022 strike action; the release of unpaid salaries for staff affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) on sabbatical, part-time and adjunct appointments and promotion arrears since 2018; the release of outstanding third-party deductions such as cooperative contributions and check-off dues; funding for the revitalisation of public universities, partially captured by the Federal Government Budget of 2023; the payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), partially captured by the Federal Government Budget of 2023; the proliferation of universities by Federal and State Governments; implementation of visitation panel reports and the head option of the University Transparency and Accountability.
He said the best thing is for the peace committee and other well-meaning Nigerians to wade in now so that the nation’s public universities calendar won’t be disrupted.
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