ASUU Stands Firm: Strike Remains, No Backtracking to FG

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) President, Chris Piwuna, has reiterated that if the Federal Government does not reply by the October 13 expiration date, there will be no reversal of the two-week nationwide warning strike over certain outstanding concerns.

The proposed strike comes after the union gave the Federal Government a two-week ultimatum last week to resolve its outstanding grievances, one of which was the signing and execution of the 2009 ASUU-FGN renegotiated agreement.

Piwuna told reporters at the Academic Staff Union’s orientation/leadership training at the Niger Delta University branch in Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, that the union has decided on a warning strike and that it won’t alter its stance until its demands from the federal government are fulfilled.

“The warning strike has been issued, and we are not meeting to discuss that again as a union because our position has been taken,” he stated. “We will begin a two-week warning strike by midnight on Monday, and thereafter, we will meet to determine when to start an indefinite and comprehensive strike action.”

We want Nigerians to know that we have been in communication and that the strike action is coming after years of negotiations and that we are not just jumping on a strike. The issues are still the same, and the re-negotiation of our 2009 documents is still lingering over the years.

Imagine that we gave the government three weeks to respond to us on this specific issue, but they never did until now. We have given them ample time. Nigerians must always consider the government’s actions, which have consistently led us to take such acts.

Piwuna stated, “We have informed the government that we do not support loans in such a depressed economy,” in reference to the NELFUND. They want them to pay back the loan because they cannot afford to eat in an economy with a high unemployment rate.

“If they really want to give them money, they should be upfront about it. Where are the jobs that will allow them to pay back the loans? If the money is intended to improve university operations, it should be donated as a gift rather than a loan.

“Recently, some of the reports from NELFUND have led us to believe that we are correct when an organization with less than 100 employees and less than a year of existence spends 14 billion naira on personnel, while even this university with over 1000 employees cannot spend that much in a year, including building structures.”

Speaking at the Orientation/Leadership Training on the subject of “Understanding the Principles of the Union,” Comrade Happiness Uduk, the National Financial Secretary of ASUU, reaffirmed that the organization has not only been known as a union of intellectuals but also of intellectuals with integrity. He urged members to uphold the principles of accountability, transparency, and integrity under all circumstances.

Additionally, during his speech on “Understanding the Dynamics of ASUU and University Administration,” Comrade Prof. Ezekiel Ogheneyerhovwo Agbalagba, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources in Delta State, cautioned members to adhere to the guidelines outlined in the ASUU work guide, which was written and assembled by Comrade Festus Iyayi, the former President of the Union.

In addition, he stated that member collaboration will help attain educational excellence and that ASUU members’ understanding of their roles will contribute to institutional reform.

Niger Delta University Vice Chancellor Prof. Allen A. Agih praised the training workshop’s participants and organizers and urged that it be held more frequently due to its significance.