ASUU withdraws from talks with FG - Agree to terms first then talk

The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Thursday announced its disengagement from further negotiations with the Federal Government, over what it describes as the latter’s perceived insincerity in the 2009 agreement as well as the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) both parties signed in January last year.

The union National President, Dr. Nassir Faggae Isa, said at a press briefing held at the University of Lagos on Thursday that the 2009 agreement and the MoU must first be honoured, even if ASUU feels the need to consider renegotiation with the government.

The union had embarked on a total strike on July 2 over government‘s failure to honour the 2009 agreement.

Faggae said, “Consequently, our members are left with no other choice than to prosecute this strike to its logical conclusion. ASUU members nationwide are saying this striker will not be suspended until and unless the government respects the 2009 agreement and makes concrete efforts to implement it in the best interest of the country.”

According to him, during a meeting held between ASUU and the government representative on Monday, government declared that it neither had any motive to revitalize public universities through committed funding, nor was it ready to pay in full the accumulated Earned Academic Allowances between 2009 and 2013.

The Nation