By Adedoyin Falolu
After one day lecture free day declared by the National Executive Committee of the Academic Staff Union of Universities to press on its demand,it will commence a two-day meeting by this weekend at the University of Lagos, Akoka, today, to finalise the union’s decision on an impending strike.
It was learnt from a close source in UNILAG that ASUU will make the final decision on the strike – to be reached by voting – known at the end of the meeting on Sunday.
The union had expressed grievances over the failure of the Federal Government to fulfill some of the agreements it made as far back as 2009. ASUU had on November 15, 2021 given the federal government a three-week ultimatum over the failure to meet the demands.
The lecturers threatened to embark on another round of industrial action following the alleged “government’s unfaithfulness” in the implementation of the Memorandum of Action it signed with the union, leading to the suspension of the 2020 strike action.
After the union’s National Executive Council meeting at the University of Abuja on November 13 and 14, ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, lamented that despite meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, on October 14, 2021, on issues, including funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution; promotion arrears, renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, and the inconsistencies in Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System Payment, none of its demands had been met.