The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Thursday, called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately pay the withheld eight months salaries of lecturers consequent upon ‘the 2022 patriotic strike action induced by government’s failure’ to honour agreements reached with it.
The call was made in a statement by the ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, adding that the organisation held its National Executive Council meeting to discuss several issues affecting the university system and the nation at large at the University of Maiduguri, Borno, State from August 19 to 20.
The union also urged the current administration to put machinery for the speedy conclusion of renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU/FGN Agreement following recommendations of the Prof. Nimi Briggs committee to restore integrity of the university system.
Prof Osodeke also disclosed that the lecturers opposed the dissolution of the governing councils of federal universities by the President, saying the action violated extant laws.
The statement read, “NEC commended Nigerian academics for their courage, resilience, and determination to weather through the economic, social, and emotional storms unleashed on them by the unpaid salaries.
“NEC attributed past strike actions of ASUU to the failure of successive governments to honour agreements and memoranda arrived at through the collective bargaining principle enunciated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and domesticated in Nigeria’s labour law.”
“NEC acknowledged the ongoing efforts to make the Federal Government release the withheld salaries of academics and implored ASUU national leadership, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and all true patriots to spare no efforts in this respect.
“NEC noted with serious concern that ASUU members are currently owed several months of promotion arrears arising from distortions traceable to the forceful enrolment of academics on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information (IPPIS) platform.
“NEC observed that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has failed to address the issue despite several efforts by the union and university administrations.
“Consequently, ASUU calls on the OAGF to ensure the immediate release of the backlog of promotion arrears to our members in the interest of industrial peace and harmony.” stated.
ASUU stated that it also rejected all illegal appointments sponsored by the IPPIS and its agents in Nigerian public universities.
