No Resumption Until… – ASUU

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says its members will not end their eight-month strike until government pays all their withheld salaries.

Recall that there were indications that the union would call off its strike after a meeting with the Federal Government on November 27. The government had promised to release N70 billion to ASUU as earned allowance.

However, speaking with PUNCH on Sunday, ASUU president, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, said the government was yet to implement or fulfil any of the offers it made to the union.

He noted that the members were still consulting and at the same time waiting for the government to fulfil its promise of releasing members’ withheld salaries.

“We are still consulting; we have not finished consultation, by the end of this week we shall make our report public,” Ogunyemi was quoted as saying.

“There are promises government made with dates. Government promised to release salaries of our members. The withheld salaries have not been paid and we need to have information on that. Government should not expect us to resume without releasing our salaries.”

He emphasised that once the timeline expired this week without the salaries being paid, the union would take a final decision.

Ogunyemi stated that the process would be easier if the payment of the withheld salaries was ensured.

“I can’t vouch for anything about resumption, but my members will determine that. The only thing I know is that payment of withheld salaries can smoothen the process and that is what we have told the government. It will aid the final decision,” the ASUU president said.

“The government gave a timeline and we are monitoring, once the timeline expires this week, our members will take a final decision. If they pay the withheld salaries, it will make the process easier to handle.”