Chris Piwuna, the president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has reiterated that if the Federal Government does not reply by the October 13 expiration date, the two-week nationwide warning strike over some outstanding problems will not be canceled.
The scheduled walkout comes after the union gave the Federal Government a two-week ultimatum last week to settle its outstanding grievances, which included signing and implementing the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement that was renegotiated.
Speaking to reporters at the Academic Staff Union’s orientation and leadership training at the Niger Delta University branch in Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Piwuna emphasized that the union has decided on a warning strike and that it won’t alter its stance until its demands from the federal government are fulfilled.
He declared, “The warning strike has been issued, and we are not meeting as a union to discuss that again because our position has been taken. By midnight on Monday, we will begin a two-week warning strike, and after that, we will meet to determine when to start an indefinite and comprehensive strike action.”
“We want Nigerians to know that we have been talking and that the strike action is coming after several years of negotiations and that we are not just jumping on a strike. The issues are still the same, and the re-negotiation of our 2009 documents is still lingering over the years.”
“On this specific matter, we have given the government ample time. Imagine that they were supposed to respond to us within three weeks, but they never did. Nigerians must constantly examine the government’s activities, which have consistently driven us to take such measures.
“We have informed the government that we do not support loans in such a depressed economy,” Piwuna stated in reference to the NELFUND issue. Families cannot afford to eat in an economy with a high unemployment rate, so where do they expect them to make loan repayments?
“They should be upfront if they really want to give them money. Where are the jobs that will allow them to pay back the loans? If the money is intended to improve university operations, it should be given as a grant rather than a loan.
“Recent reports from NELFUND have led us to believe that we are correct when an organization with less than 100 employees and less than a year of existence spends 14 billion naira on personnel, when even this university with over 1000 employees cannot spend that much in a year, including building structures.”
The National Financial Secretary of ASUU, Comrade Happiness Uduk, spoke at the Orientation/Leadership Training on the topic of “Understanding the Principles of the Union.” He emphasized that ASUU has not only been known as a union of intellectuals, but also of intellectuals with integrity, and he urged members to uphold the principles of integrity, transparency, and accountability under all circumstances.
Additionally, in his speech on “Understanding the Dynamics of ASUU and University Administration,” Comrade Prof. Ezekiel Ogheneyerhovwo Agbalagba, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources in Delta State, cautioned members to adhere to the guidelines set forth in the ASUU work guide, which was written and assembled by Comrade Festus Iyayi, the former President of the Union.
Additionally, he stated that member collaboration will help attain educational excellence and that if ASUU members are aware of their responsibilities, it will aid in institutional reform.
The vice chancellor of Niger Delta University, Prof. Allen A. Agih, praised the participants and organizers of the training workshop and urged that it be held more frequently due to its significance.
