The National Executive Committee of the Academic Staff Union of Universities will commence a two-day meeting at the University of Lagos, Akoka, today, to finalise the union’s decision on an impending strike.
ASUU will make the final decision on the strike – to be reached by voting – known at the end of the meeting on Sunday.
The union had expressed grievances over the failure of the Federal Government to fulfill some of the agreements it made as far back as 2009. ASUU had on November 15, 2021 given the federal government a three-week ultimatum over the failure to meet the demands. The lecturers threatened to embark on another round of industrial action following the alleged “government’s unfaithfulness” in the implementation of the Memorandum of Action it signed with the union, leading to the suspension of the 2020 strike action and over the lack of implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding the government signed with ASUU in 2009.
Buhari had said the government remained committed to fulfilling the promises made to ASUU. The president also stated that he had mandated Ngige; the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, and his (Buhari’s) Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, to look into the demands of the union.
But Osodeke in an interview with newsmen insisted that the Federal Government could not be trusted despite the promise of the president.
The union consequently declared Monday, February 9, 2022 as a lecture-free day, in order to mobilise its members ahead of what it described as the longest strike in history.
Several chapters of the union embraced the directive, and had held several congresses, where they told the public to hold the government responsible if the union decided to embark on strike.
A final decision on the looming strike will be reached this weekend as ASUU NEC meets from February 12 (today) and February 13, at the UNILAG.
It was gathered that the decision on strike would be put to voting, and all the members present would vote either for — or against it.
