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Tag: ASUU

  • We won’t return to class until you implement past agreements – ASUU tells FG

    Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU have insisted that they won’t call off the ongoing strike until the Federal and State Governments implement past agreements signed with the union.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that ASUU had on Monday commenced a nationwide strike, which has reportedly grounded academic activities in about 80 federal and state universities across the country.

    Stating the stand of the Union, President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said the strike would end “when the government is ready to do the right thing as we spelt out during our engagement with the government at the National Assembly in November last year.”

    And when asked the least that the government would have to do to get the striking lecturers back to their classrooms, the ASUU president replied that an action plan involving about seven items must be followed.

    He said, “The least has been defined. In November last year, when we went to the National Assembly, the issues were itemised, seven, eight of them. The government was expected to have followed that pathway, to follow what I would call the action plan for resolving the matter.

    “But for deviating from the action plan, the government exposed itself to the suspicion that it didn’t mean well. If it meant well, it must go back to that plan and from there, we address the issues.

    “The government has defined the process for addressing the problem; it just needs to go back to it. It is because it didn’t act on the understanding, that is why we are back to where we are. This action was needless; it is like we were forced into it. Implementation must commence and the implementation we are talking about is not the issue of renegotiation.”

    Speaking on some of the agreements, Ogunyemi noted that government had reneged on a 2013 agreement to revitalise universities with N1.3tn over a period of six years.

    “The first year, the government was to release N200bn, which it did, but it took a long time for us to access it. But since that release in 2013, no single kobo has been released thereafter.

    “For 2014, N220bn was not released. Again 2015 and 2016, nothing was released up to the third quarter of 2017. In all, we can estimate the outstanding amount to be about N825bn for revitalisation of our universities,” he said.

    He said Nigeria loses N500m to education tourism annually within Africa, while accusing the ruling class of killing the country’s education system so that their children, who were given quality education abroad, could return to dominate the poor. “In the last two years, what has been allocated to education in the budget is between six and seven per cent. Even in countries where they had wars like Rwanda and Sudan, they are still allocating well above 20 per cent to education. Our citizens are rushing to Ghana, most universities there are public universities,” he said.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that a meeting between the Federal Government and ASUU on Thursday was deadlocked and the latter consequently rejected government’s request to end the strike.

    It was learnt that the two parties had failed to agree on the demand of the union that universities should be exempted from using the Treasury Single Account.

     

  • ASUU crisis: FG set to release N23bn to university lecturers to end strike

    As part of efforts to resolve the ongoing strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Federal Government has assured the release of N23 billion to the lecturers.

    This was revealed by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.

    Speaking before the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, led by Senator Jibrin Barau, the Minister disclosed that the executive arm of government had commenced plans to ensure that it honoured the agreement with ASUU.

    The Minister disclosed that the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, had already approved a total N53bn for the union so far, adding that the balance of N23bn would be released on Monday when the striking lecturers would receive the cheque.

    He said: “ASUU asked for N23billion to be paid, but we said the condition for getting the N23billion was for them to account for the N30billion they had taken and they were not able to account for it.

    “The Minister of Finance undertook to do the audit from the ministry and we agreed that the result will be known six months. During those six months, the government undertook to be paying ASUU N1.5billion each month during the time they were waiting for this.

    ‘’However, their grouse was that the forensic audit promised by the Minister of Finance had not been done and the money promised not paid.

    “So, at our meeting two days ago, the agreement was to pay them all and do forensic audit on the entire N53billion.

    “That was what I tried to do yesterday (Wednesday). I wrote to the Minister of Finance and she has already approved and this money will be paid. Probably, by Monday, they will be able to receive the cheque.

    “We didn’t agree with ASUU on their request that TSA should be taken out. I told them that it is not possible because it is a new policy and government is not going to change it for anyone.

    “Concerning their salary short fall, we said the reason springs from universities employing people without proper authority.

    “For instance, a university can just decide to go and recruit 50 people without notifying IPPIS. So, what they are going to get is the money they got last month, which will not be sufficient for them. We have told them that institutions should, henceforth, stop doing that and they accepted.

    “There is the issue of registration of their pension commission. I think they have one or two issues to iron out with PENCOM and I believe they will also be able to solve the problem within a week.

    “The issue of renegotiation is already ongoing, which will not affect what we have said. I have already written a letter formalizing the meeting and all the agreements we had with ASUU and gave them the letter yesterday.

    “From the way they received it, I think it is possible that the strike will be called off within a week maximum.”

    Chairman of the Committee, Senator Jibrin Barau, commended the Minister for his efforts towards ensuring that the situation was resolved and the strike called off.

     

  • We’ll resolve ASUU strike in two days – FG

    The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that it will wade into the strike embarked on by the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) on Monday.

    The assurance was given on Wednesday by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the National President of the union, Dr. Biodun Ogunyemi, announced the commencement of the strike on Monday during a meeting of the National Executive Council of ASUU in Abuja.

    Ogunyemi said during the strike, there shall be no teaching, no examination and no attendance of statutory meetings of any kind in any of the union’s branches across the country.

    However, in an interview with The Guardian, the Minister stated that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has a policy of engaging unions, including ASUU.

    “I hope and believe that this would be a one or two days strike. We have a policy of engaging the unions, including ASUU and I think now we are very serious.

    “This is the first time in two years that ASUU is declaring a strike,” Adamu said.

    Adamu also held a closed-door meeting with the leader of the Federal Government Renegotiation Team, Dr. B. O Babalakin (SAN).

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Babalakin had in January, inaugurated the 16-member team to renegotiate the 2009 agreement.

     

  • JUST IN: ASUU begins nationwide strike

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has commenced an indefinite nationwide industrial action.

    The National President of the union, Dr. Biodun Ogunyemi, announced this on Monday during a meeting of the National Executive Council of ASUU in Abuja.

    He said during the strike, there shall be no teaching, no examination and no attendance of statutory meetings of any kind in any of the union’s branches across the country.

    According to Channels TV, Dr. Ogunyemi declared a total, comprehensive and indefinite nationwide strike after a nationwide consultation with members at an emergency NEC meeting held on Saturday, August 12, 2017.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the union had on Friday held a meeting in Abuja where it was decided that a ‘total and indefinite strike’ action be embarked on over the controversial 2009 agreement they reached with the Federal Government among other issues.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that all chapters of the union nationwide have been directed by the national body to adhere strictly to the guidelines of the strike.

    Details later…

     

  • ASUU set for ‘total, indefinite strike’ over FG’s refusal to implement 2009 deal

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has said it is embarking on a ‘total and indefinite strike’ action over the controversial 2009 agreement they reached with the Federal Government among other issues.

    A meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of ASUU will hold today in Abuja ahead of the action.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that all chapters of the union nationwide held a congress on Thursday as directed by its national body to decide whether or not to go ahead with the planned strike.

    The options given to them are: Whether it should be total and indefinite strike, one month strike, one week notice, and no strike at all.

    This followed the directive sent to branches by ASUU National President Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi as he was mandated by the NEC meeting held at the Nasarawa State University (NSU).

    Chairman ASUU-Lagos State University (LASU) Dr Isaac Akinloye Oyewunmi said yesterday that the chapter resolved in favour of “total and indefinite strike”.

    In August last year, the union threatened strike over the government’s failure to implement the 2009 agreement.

    Coordinator of ASUU (Lagos Zone) Prof Olusoji Sowande, said the union was tired because efforts to get the agreement honoured were fruitless.

    The union listed some of the unresolved issues as: Breach of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the 2009 FG/ASUU Agreement on financing of state universities; breach of the conditions of service; refusal to honour the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) and re -negotiation of the agreement.

    In January, ASUU staged a one-week warning strike.

    Union officials said the Federal Government is owing universities over N880 billion in intervention fund.

    Other issues according to ASUU oficials are: The Federal Government’s foot-dragging over ‘funds for the revitilisation of public universities, non-release of NUPEMCO operational licence, non-payment of earned academic allowances, payment of fractions/non-payment of salaries, retired professors and their salaries and university staff schools’.

    The official said ASUU explored all channels to make the Federal Government see reasons but said: “It seems the Federal Government is more concerned with buying exotic vehicles for the National Assembly while public education and lecturers continue to suffer owing to dilapidated infrastructure.”

    He said the union was angry at the failure of the Federal Government to release the operational licence for the union’s pension managers after collecting N1 billion since two years ago.

    “Till date the government is owing the intervention funds to the tune of N880 billion. When we approached them for licensing of Nigerian Universities Pension Management Company (NUPEMCO), they asked us to go and bring registration fee, which is supposed to be N150million. Till date, we have paid government N1 billion and our money has been with them for two years and they are not saying anything.

    None of this pension administrators can fulfill the University Miscellaneous Act which says university professors must retire with their full money. The money must have been invested and yielding interest for somebody. We are demanding our licence and funding of public universities.”

     

  • Ban on Kogi ASUU: NLC writes Gov Bello, says, even military couldn’t suppress unions

    Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has criticised Governor Yahaya Bello, for proscribing the Academic Staff Union, ASUU, Kogi State University, KSU, chapter.

    “Even in the dark days of the military when such obnoxious actions were attempted against the unions, the Juntas had to reverse themselves in compliance with International Conventions and laws of the land”, NLC said in a letter to Bello by its President, Ayuba Wabba.

    Labour lamented that the action was contrary to the International Labour Organisation, ILO, convention that had recognized freedom of association.

    “We therefore call on Your Excellency to allow reason and sound judgement to prevail as well as desist from these ill-advised and thoughtless steps that would make the country a laughing stock in the comity of nations.

    “Coupled with this, we are afraid to state that such precipitate actions are capable of exacerbating the already fragile social and industrial relations atmosphere in the state. And although we do not intend a threat, the non-reversal of this abhorrent and repugnant decision will inevitably provoke a serious national action in the state.”

    Wabba added that ASUU did no wrong by embarking on strike in protest against unpaid salaries, allowances and pensions.

    The labour leader insisted that the governor’s action was hasty and ill-advised which contradicted all known and extant national and international laws and conventions.

    He said “the Governor has no right to ban a Union. Trade Unions as independent workers organisations are neither under the control of the state government nor registered by it.
    “According to ILO Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, which has been duly ratified by the country, workers shall have the right to organise and form trade unions, and “public authorities shall refrain from any interference which would restrict this right or impede the lawful exercise thereof”, and the unions “shall not be liable to be dissolved or suspended by administrative authority.”

    “This Convention is not only reinforced by ILO Convention 98 on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining, but buttressed and domesticated by the 1999 Constitution which states unequivocally in Section 40 that every person shall not only be entitled to freely assemble or associate, but in particular, shall “freely form or belong to trade unions and other associations for the protection of his interests”

    “The contravention of these laws by Your Excellency is not only a violation of ILO Conventions and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but an abuse of the fundamental human rights of the lecturers in Kogi State. Your action is also a representation of the height of impunity and high-handedness that has, unfortunately, characterized governance in Kogi State since your assumption of office.”

    The letter was copied to the Minister of Labour and Employment and other relevant Government agencies for appropriate action.

  • 2nd Year Anniversary: ASUU rates Buhari low on education, economy

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday said the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration performed low in education and economy since assuming office two years ago.

    The union noted that it will be difficult for any Nigeria university to effectively compete globally with the attitude of Buhari not to allocate enough funds as prescribed by UNESCO to support education.

    This was revealed in a statement by Dr. Deji Omole, chairman, University of Ibadan chapter of the Union.

    Omole further stated that university workers have expressed terrible moments under Buhari with payment of fractional and amputated salaries, non-release of revitilisation grants in line with FGN/ASUU agreements and 2013 Memorandum of Understanding, and non-payment of academic earned allowances.

    “On education; the govt has performed poorly as the budgetary allocation to education suffered a serious decline as against what the APC government promised. The government promised minimum of 15% but instead of moving towards that we are actually moving backward.

    “Fractional salaries are paid to workers even though the cost of living is now more than triple. Non release of revitalization grant in line with ASUU/FGN agreement and MOUs , non payment of earned academic allowances . in fact no Nigerian university will be able to compete effectively with other universities abroad with the attitude of this government towards public funded education.”

  • 2017 Budget: Four per cent reduction in education allocation unacceptable, ASUU tells FG

    The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, has bemoaned the four per cent reduction in the 2017 budget allocation to education sector.

    He made the observation on Thursday in Abuja when he paid a courtesy call on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Mr Ayuba Wabba.

    He said such reduction was capable of destroying the nation’s educational system.

    According to him, the decline in funding education from 11 per cent to eight per cent in 2015 will do the education system no good.

    “About six per cent was proposed in 2017; about four per cent was given at the end of the day.

    “The decline will also destroy the country because destroying the educational system of a nation means destroying the nation,’’ he said.

    He said education had been relegated to the background because political office holders, now own private universities at the detriment of government universities.

    “They build their own universities, and they do not care about government universities.

    “The moment they destroyed government universities, Nigeria will have none again, because everything has been privatised,” he said.

    According to him, the union has always engaged government on funding and provision of facilities to attract quality education that can bring development to the country.

    He said the political class hardly recognised the essence of scholarship and funding for the development of the system, adding that all they think about was for them to take away what belong to the people.

    Ogunyemi also called on Nigerians and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to support the fight for proper funding of education sector.

    He, however, commended the assistance and intervention of the NLC during the six months strike.

    While receiving the ASUU president, the NLC president said education has played a major role in the development of the nation’s economy.

    He said it was sad that most of the leaders, who had benefited from free education, could not transfer same education to the children of the poor.

    According to him, large number of Nigerian youths has been denied quality education.

    According to him, this act is deliberate to push the children of the poor out of the growth of the nation’s economy, so that they can determine who runs the affairs of the nation.

    Wabba, however, urged the union to see that the battle was won, adding that the nation has more than enough policy and resources to make the education system better than what it used to be.

     

     

    NAN

  • Strike paralysis academic activities at UI

    Strike paralysis academic activities at UI

    Academic activities were paralysed on Wednesday at the University of Ibadan (UI) as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) commenced its one week warning strike.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the strike forced most students to stay indoors at their halls of residence.

    NAN also reports that the strike monitoring committee put in place by the union was led by the Chairman of the ASUU in the Branch, Dr Deji Omole.

    Omole, who moved round the faculties to monitor compliance, described the strike as successful and urged members to continue to defend their interests.

    “The congress of ASUU, UI branch, at its meeting of April 4, received permission from the national body of the union, declaring one week warning strike beginning from Wednesday, April 5 to Tuesday, April 11,” he said.

    He said the warning strike was to compel the university administration to address pending welfare matters affecting the members.

    He identified some of the issues to include, shortfall and fractional payment of salary of members, illegal pension deductions, non-payment of postgraduate supervision allowance and non-payment of promotion arrears.

    “During the strike period our members are not to be involved in teaching, supervision, or attend to statutory and ad hoc meetings,” Omole said.

    He advised members to remain resolute and await further directives from the leadership of the union at the branch level.

     

     

  • Be patient, we are working towards meeting your demands – Buhari tells ASUU

    Be patient, we are working towards meeting your demands – Buhari tells ASUU

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari has pleaded with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to exercise patience with his administration stressing that efforts were in top gear to accede the union’s demand.

    Buhari made the appeal during the convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo state.

    The President, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Prof Anthony Anwuka, urged ASUU to appreciate the current economic challenges that has financially constrained the Federal Government from meeting its demands.

    Buhari assured that his administration will not renege on its promise to provide opportunities and avenues so that youths can develop their skills and creative ingenuity.

    He said, “As partners in progress, I plead for understanding and cooperation as the government is committed to addressing the various issues being canvassed by the Union, as we strive to right the wrongs of the past.

    “The fear is further amplified with the rising unemployment coupled with the recent economic recession that has befallen our beloved country. Periods like this are opportunities for geniuses to emerge.”