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EDUCATION NEWS & LIFE

ASUU strike: FG reacts to 2 months extension

As the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU ) rolls over its strike action to two months, the Federal Government has reacted to this extension saying it has met all the demands of the union.
The Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba reacted to the declaration of the roll over in an interview with newsmen at the end of the commemoration of the 2022 Commonwealth Celebration in Abuja on Monday.
Nwajiuba, who insisted that the federal government had met all of the demands of the union, added that all earned allowances as well as revitalisation funds had been released.
“ASUU announced and we met and everything that they have demanded, we have done all of them including the earned allowances and the revitalisation fund; they choose to extend it for two months may be,” he said.
It would be recalled that the universities union after the expiration of its initial one month strike on March 14, declared a roll over strike for another two months beginning.
The strike, according to the union, was due to the failure of the government to implement the agreement the federal government signed with the union in 2009.
ALSO READ:Strike: ASUU payment platform, UTAS, failed integrity test, FG insists
ASUU had also accused the federal government of working against the deployment of the UTAS, a payment platform designed by ASUU in lieu of the IPPIS payment system.

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NEWS & LIFE

ASUU strike: We’ll block roads in Oyo, NANS threatens FG

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to block all federal government roads in Oyo from Tuesday, if the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike continues.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a section of NANS members from Zone B made the threat on Monday.

The members spoke while protesting at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

Led by its Southwest Coordinator, Steven Tegbe, the association advised the Federal Government and ASUU to resolve their crisis for the sake of students.

It said that there was no need for strike if issues were settled amicably.

“We are holding our peaceful demonstration here today because of the lingering crisis between ASUU and the Federal Government, which has been a reoccurring event over the years.

“Unfortunately, we students are always at the receiving end. If the federal government and ASUU refuse to resolve on Monday, we won’t hesitate to go violent on Tuesday.

“They cannot continue to be wasting our time. When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.

“We are appealing to the Federal Government to respect agreement and ASUU to be decisive in spending, when their demands are met.

“There are ways to deal with issues rather than going on strike.

“We want to see the projects that ASUU is carrying out with the subventions received from the Federal Government,” Tegbe said on behalf of the association.

According to the association, the protest will be held continuously across the country, until students’ demands are met.
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NAN reports that the students carried placards with various inscriptions some of which are: “FG and ASUU stop the madness”, and “Stop the strike and revitalise our education”.

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EDUCATION Featured

ASUU strike: Academic activities grounded in UNIBEN

Academic activities were on Tuesday grounded at the Ugbowo campus of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) sequel to the warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

ASUU declared a four-strike after its National Executive Congress (NEC) met in Lagos to press the Federal Government to implement the 2009 agreement.

Students, who reported for classes at the campus, were stranded as no lecturer turned up for lectures.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who was at the university to monitor the situation, reports that they converged in groups, discussing the effects of the industrial action on their studies.

However, non-academic activities such as the collection of results, payment of charges, and course registration were ongoing and were attended to by the non-academic staff of the institution.

Speaking with NAN after the congress at the local branch, Dr Ray Chikogu, the Chairman of UNIBEN branch of ASUU said members were excited about the strike.

“We just emerged from the congress, where we delivered the message from the national ASUU to the effect that a month industrial action in the first instance has been declared.

“So we came back to give the report to our congress.

“Our congress received that the news with excitement because they were the one in actual fact, who sent us to ask our national leadership to take the last option since all other efforts we have made have not produced any results since the Memorandum of Understanding was signed between our union and the Federal Government in December 2020.

“We have done everything possible to ensure the Federal Government fulfills its promises outlined in that agreement.

“We have gone to see the Chief of Staff to the President; we have gone to see the National Assembly and use other means to lobby and carried out several visits to government agencies, yet no result.

“So we have to resort to this since this is the only thing the government understands,” Chikogu said.

The ASUU leader noted that the action would be total and did not need the leadership to come out for enforcement because of the issues involved.

“It is the same people who asked us to go and declare a strike to compel the government to meet their obligations to us.

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EDUCATION HEADLINES NEWS & LIFE

ASSU/FG impasse: NANS plans nationwide mass protest, court action

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has resolved to organise a nationwide mass protest to press home its demand for the immediate reopening of all universities across the country.

This is part of resolutions reached in a communiqué issued on Wednesday in Enugu after NANS Students’ Leaders Emergency Virtual Meeting held on Nov. 9.

The communiqué said that the continued strike was an organized crime against students’ career and educational pursuits.

It said that NANS with no hesitation declares 14-day Ultimatum for both parties (ASUU and FG) to resolve their impasse for campuses to re-open or risk Mass Protest.

According to the statement, #EndASUUStrike protest will have economic shut down as the major target.

The statement reads in part: That NANS declares the necessity of minimum of two academic session school fees waiver for Nigerian students in both state and federal institutions in the spirit of COVID-19 palliative to ameliorate the economic effects of the lockdown occasioned by the global pandemic.

“This is to avert mass drop out of students which may increase crime and criminality among youths in the country.

“That the government has failed to prioritize education, hence the failure to deploy necessary fund for complete overhauling of education sector and total revitalization of university education in Nigeria.

The association noted that governments had not earmarked meaningful budgetary allocation to the sector in line with the recommendation of UNESCO 26 per cent educational budgetary allocation.
According to the students body, this can be traced as the root cause of incessant strike by the Academic Staff Unions in all Nigeria tertiary institutions.

“That NANS has affirmed the perpetual and continued industrial actions by ASUU as the only tool to press home her demands as an organized crime against students’ career and educational pursuits.

“Consequently, NANS with no hesitation declares 14 days Ultimatum for both ASUU and FGt to resolve their impasse for our campuses to re-open or risk Mass Protest tagged #EndASUUStrike Nationwide – with economic shut down as the major target.

“That while both Government and ASUU lose nothing at the end of every strike, both salaries, promotions and other emoluments among others flows uninterrupted;

“Nigerian students are the greatest losers as their career are delayed, stay on campus extended, house rent/hostel fee incurred, NYSC age limit exceeded, Federal/state job age requirement exceeded among other negative effects and impacts on general life plan of an average Nigerian student.

which are considered an act of deliberate wickedness.

“That NANS, on behalf of Nigerian students shall approach the Federal High Court to seek legal redress on ASUU and FG in demand for compensation/damages for Nigerians students’ time wastage, life plan disruption and career delay.

“These shall include; mandatory alternative modalities for ASUU to press home her members’ demand without interrupting academic calendar.

“NYSC age limit extension, mandatory removal of age limit for Federal and State job employment, unconditional two academic session, school fees waiver among others respectively’’.

The statement said that the leadership of NANS, led by Comrade Chidi Ilogebe would proceed to have a press conference to address Nigeria students, Federal Government and ASUU on our positions and next line of action as resolved therein.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the communique drafting committee led by Mr Salahudeen Lukman as Chairman, from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Mr Danladi Jonah from Modibo Adama Federal University Yola, Adamawa State.

Others are Mr Ogunsanya Rasheed, JCC Chairman Lagos, Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Noforija-Epe, Lagos State and Mr Nwafor Joshua, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki.

The rest are Mr Adai Pius, SUG President, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM), Benue State, and Rukkayya Yusuf, ABU Zaria, Kaduna State.