ASUU collating signatures

FOLLOWING the alleged inability of the Federal Government to fulfil its part of agreement signed with the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) in 2009, the union, on Thursday, began the process that may lead to nationwide industrial action anytime.

It was gathered that the leadership of the union has begun collation of signatures of members through referenda which would determine the type of strike (weeks, months or indefinite) that may commence few days from now.

Some of the prayers of the union, which led to almost a year strike in 2013, include academic allowances, change of pension administrators, remittance of needs assessment funds, issue of staff and possible renegotiation of condition of service.

Speaking in his office shortly after his branch’s referendum, former Welfare Secretary, ASUU, Kaduna State University, Mallam Ahmad Buba, urged the Federal Government to fulfil its part of the 2009 agreement quickly.

He added that going into another strike now would further deteriorate the country’s educational system.

According to him, the union leaders had tried everything possible to help the government, but had not yielded positive results hence the need to revisit the suspended strike.

According to him, “the union has over time revolving and unlike before, we now collect members’ view when it comes to critical issues like this. That means, the outcome of the referenda, which is simultaneously going on across the country, will determine whether the strike will be one week, two weeks, months or indefinite.

“Like I said, if members say we should go-ahead so be it and if they said no, so be it. We are not antagonising the government, but we are only demanding for what we know is our right. We have legal team and that means we are not doing any illegal thing.

“What we are saying is that the 2009 agreement should be implemented. We are not asking for too much. We are saying pay us our allowances, move our pension from administrators currently handling it to SERVICOM, remit our need assessment funds, continue funding our staff schools among others.

“Let education gets more budget percentage because it is the bedrock of other developments. Let us stop brain drain which is becoming daily occurrence in our educational system. When an Army General retires, he continues enjoying his last salary as pension while a professor will retire and that will be the end.

Commenting on government’s persistent crying of cash crunch, he said: “It is becoming the tradition of government to say there is no money in its cover. But this is an agreement both parties willingly agreed on and it is not beyond what the government can do in the interest of young Nigerians and standard of education of the country.”