Cynthia Ezegwu
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has given the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to meet its longstanding demands or face fresh industrial action.
The decision was reached at the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Sunday at the University of Abuja.
In a statement personally signed by ASUU’s National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, the union decried what it described as government’s neglect of the university system and its refusal to address issues affecting lecturers and institutions.
“Accordingly, ASUU has given the Federal Government of Nigeria an ultimatum of fourteen (14) days within which to address these issues. If at the end of the fourteen-day ultimatum, the Federal Government fails to address these issues, the Union may have no option but to, first, embark on a two-week warning strike and thereafter, a total and indefinite strike,” Piwuna stated.
READ ALSO: ASUU-FUOYE Embarks on Indefinite Strike Over Salary Arrears
ASUU’s key demands include the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, provision of adequate revitalisation funds for universities, settlement of outstanding salary arrears, and the establishment of sustainable funding mechanisms.
The Federal Government had earlier set up a committee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Abel Enitan, to review ASUU’s proposals in a bid to ensure stability across universities. However, the committee is yet to make its findings public.
The ultimatum raises fresh concerns about possible disruptions to academic activities in public universities, less than a year after the last industrial action by ASUU was suspended.