ASUU denounces alleged 'silent treatment' of FG — Nigeria — The Guardian Nigeria News

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has denounced the silent treatment meted out to the Federal Government (FG) and called for the implementation of the renegotiated agreement led by the late Nimi Briggs.

The Ibadan Zonal Coordinator, ASUU, Prof. Oyebamiji Oyegoke, stated this in the company of other Zonal Chairmanships at a press conference in Ibadan on Friday.

Oyegoke said the negotiated salaries of his members had not changed since 2009 because the government was yet to commit to negotiating welfare benefits for university staff.

He identified outstanding issues as non-completion of the 2009 renegotiated FGN/ASUU agreement; insufficient funding of public universities; and non-payment of earned academic allowance (EAA) arrears.

Others are the albatross of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), proliferation of universities, arbitrary dissolution of governing boards of public universities and dictatorship in some Nigerian universities.

Oyegoke lamented the high number of deaths recorded due to overwork and poor remuneration, saying he lost 60 members between November 2023 and February 2024, apart from known attrition.

“We therefore call on the Tinubu-led administration to immediately begin the process of signing and implementing the renegotiated agreement led by the late Nimi Briggs.

“ASUU condemns this draconian silence from the federal and state governments on this issue which has led to the avoidable deaths of many members of our union on campus.

“We hope that our union will not be forced to make unpleasant decisions to resolve these ongoing problems,” he said.

The union, through its zonal coordinator, also enjoined the FG to strictly adhere to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Act and ensure adequate funding of public universities.

“The government should return to quarterly university grant payments to enable institutions to design and implement their salary payment plans under the supervision of their governing boards,” he said.

He denounced the dissolution of the boards of directors of public universities whose mandate had not ended, calling for their reinstatement.

Oyegoke also urged the federal and state governments to pay accumulated arrears on promotions, just as he denounced nominal promotions without financial support.

He called for an end to what he calls dictatorship at some public universities and a reversal of injustice against its members, as well as reinstatement and adequate compensation for those fired.

“For the umpteenth time, our union calls on well-meaning Nigerians, opinion leaders, traditional and religious leaders, the media, labor movements, student groups and civil society organizations to convince the Federal Governments and states to follow up on our patriotic demands. .

“It aims to save the education sector from the abyss into which the ‘anti-educational forces’ want to plunge it,” Oyegoke said.

The new conference was attended by the following presidents from the zone: Prof. Ayoola Akinwole, ASUU-UI; Dr Alex Akanmu, ASUU-UNILORIN and Professor Babatunde Lawal, ASUU-LAUTECH