ASUU Set To Meet Over Strike Decision

 

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are set to deliberate over the decision to call of its eight months-long strike.

ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed this to Channels Television in a chat on Tuesday.

Although Prof. Osodeke did not confirm when the meeting will take place, sources say voting will take place between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Usually, ASUU branches nationwide will vote on a decision; the results will then be transmitted to ASUU’s National Executive Council for final ratification.

ASUU’s deliberations come after the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal ordered the union to return to the classroom.

Many expect the union to call of the strike, which will allow students of public universities across the country return to the classroom.

Counsel for ASUU, Femi Falana, in a chat with Channels Television on Monday had hinted that the strike is about to be terminated.

“The legal advice that I will give to my clients is confidential,” Mr Falana said. “But I can assure you that the strike will soon be called off.”

Also on Monday, the union met with the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Femi Gbajabiamila.

“We hope that working together, in the next few days, we can put an end to this particular imbroglio in the Nigerian educational system,” ASUU’s President, Osodeke, said at the meeting.

ASUU has been on strike since February 14.

In August, the union declared a “total and indefinite” extension of its industrial action, noting that the government has failed to satisfactorily meets its demands.

The academics are seeking improved welfare, revitalisation of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands.

One bone of contention for the academics is the non-payment of university revitalisation funds, which amounts to about N1.1 trillion.

But the Federal Government has said it doesn’t have the money to pay such an amount, citing low oil prices during the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

In his presentation of the 2023 budget earlier this month, President Buhari said a total of N470 billion has been earmarked for revitalisation and salary enhancements in the nation’s tertiary institutions, addressing some of ASUU’s main demands.