ASUU-OAU backs indefinite strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Obafemi Awolowo University branch, has encouraged the National Executive Council of the union to declare an indefinite strike, The PUNCHreports.

This was disclosed in a statement made available to our correspondent.

The statement, which was signed by the chairman of the branch, Adeola Egbedokun, knocked the Federal Government for “foot dragging.”

The statement partly read, “Principal Officers of the Union met with the Minister of Education who presented a ‘Take it or leave it’ offer to the Union. This offer was a far cry from the proposed agreement submitted to the government by the Nimi Briggs-led Committee.

“Government proposed to release one hundred and seventy (170) billion naira for revitalisation fund. Government proposed to release two tranches of EA as contained in the 2020 MOA.

“The effective date of implementation of the above was proposed to be June, 2023, after all the monetary implications have been captured in the 2023 budget. Congress also noted that despite the results of the test on UTAS, UPS and IPPIS, where UTAS emerged as the best of the three, government was still not willing to deploy UTAS but instead, was busy setting up Technical Committee to review IPPIS.

“Government is also foot-dragging on the release of the white paper on Visitation Panel.

“Congress resolved that members be more resolute in their support to the leadership of ASUU; the National Secretariat should be present on social media in order the engage the young populace the more and educate them rightly.

“Members should not participate in any statutory meeting of the University, and especially A and PC during the ongoing strike.

“NEC should be advised to roll over the ongoing strike into indefinite strike.”