We're simply fighting for students", says ASUU

 

 The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) said it is ready to call off the over three-month-old strike if only certain conditions are met by the federal government.

As gathered, the leadership of ASUU said the conditions to be met include the federal government accepting the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) payment platform and also concurring with the 2009 agreement.

The heated battle between ASUU and the federal government is at the mercy of just two major agreements and if met, the strike will end. Photo: ASUU Source: Twitter

This was made known by the national president of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osedeke on Monday, July 4 during an interview on Channels TV.

He said:

Let government tell us they have finished testing the UTAS and sign the agreement, then tomorrow we will call off the strike.

“We challenge the government, when would they sign the agreement? When would they accept UTAS? These are the two questions we should ask the Nigerian government.”

According to Prof. Osedeke, ASUU’s agitation is in the best interest of Nigerian students in other to ensure they have a conducive and enabling environment for learning.

While speaking on the program, the ASUU president made reference to neighbouring countries like Ghana as well as South Africa whom he said had a better educational system than Nigeria.

He however reiterated that if an agreement is reached and stipulations are signed, ASUU will call off the strike.

Prior to the latest development, ASUU has been in a heated battle with federal government for its refusal to honour the 2009 agreement it entered with the union.

The agreement contains a series of demands with one of them being the preferred use of the UTAS payment platform instead of the federal government recommended IPPIS.

Others include review of salary, allowances, rehabilitation of infrastructure and other facilities in universities and a host of others.

Meanwhile, the minister for labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige has revealed that decisions on will soon be made on the UTAS payment platform.

According to Ngige, President Muhammadu Buhari will issue a directive in light of the issue and as well as increment of salary for lecturers.

Similarly, reports have it that the federal government is on the verge of coughing out N34bn for payment of arrears for workers.

Chris Ngige who made the disclosure on Tuesday noted that the payment is not meant for ASUU alone but would also include academic staff members of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.