The Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has called on the Federal Government to honour its long outstanding agreements with the union and save the Nigerian universities from total collapse.
The Coordinator of the zone, Dr. Monday Igbafen made the call while addressing journalists in Abraka, Delta State on what he titled ‘Hold government responsible for the impending paralysis in Nigerian public universities,” said ASUU has been confronting the Federal Government of Nigeria on a number of issues for a very long period.
The Benin zone of ASUU comprises the University of Benin, Benin City, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Delta State University, Abraka, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, and University of Delta, Agbor.
Igbafen pointed out that the issues that have been at stake included the stalled renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement; the absence of governing councils in all federal and some state universities,
He added that Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) withheld salaries/promotion arrears/third-party deductions; illegal recruitments; proliferation of public universities/abuse of universities’ rules/processes, and TSA/New IPPIS are other issues at stake
Igbafen said the government had been footdragging on the need to conclude and sign the renegotiated 2009 Agreement which according to him commenced in 2017 and after a tortuous exercise, a draft agreement was reached with the Professor Briggs-led Committee in 2021.
The varsity don lamented that, unfortunately, agents of the Buhari government refused to approve of the draft agreement for reasons best known to them.
He also alleged that the then Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, played the leading role in truncating the successful conclusion of the FGN-ASUU renegotiation process that had lasted for more than four years.
The Benin Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, while frowning at the lingering problem of withheld salaries in federal and some state universities, called on the federal government and visitors to state universities to as a matter of urgency, pay up all withheld salaries of members without further delay.
The zonal coordinator said that the union is further disturbed by reports of victimization and persecution of its members in some universities.
“It is sad to note that Nigeria is fast assuming the status of a failed state as evident in crises in education, security and other critical sectors of the country.
“The debilitating and suffocating impact of neo-liberal policies of government at both the Federal and State levels have undoubtedly undermined public good and other good things of life in the country, including the welfare of academics.
“In the process, the Union observed with dismay the failed promises of the Federal and State governments towards the issues that forced the Union to embark on a prolonged national strike action between February and October 2022.
“We call on the federal government and visitors to state universities where our members are being persecuted to, as a matter of urgency, take steps to resolve all lingering matters and give their universities a new breath of life,” Igbafen declared.
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