The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the Federal Government’s last-minute appeal to halt its planned warning strike scheduled to begin on October 13, describing the intervention as a little too late.
The ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, made this known on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he accused the government of neglecting the union’s long-standing demands despite multiple opportunities to engage.
Professor Piwuna criticized the Ministry of Education for what he described as its habitual delay in addressing critical issues affecting university lecturers.
“The problem we have with this government and this Ministry of Education is that they are slow in responding to our demands,” Piwuna said.
He explained that after a meeting held in Sokoto weeks ago, the union had given the government a three-week window to address its grievances. However, he said there was no form of communication or effort from the government within that period.
“They gave us three weeks, we accepted the three weeks, but we never heard a word from them until the three weeks elapsed, not a word from them, courtesy to even say, ‘Oh gentlemen, we think we are running short, three weeks is around the corner, we are unable to meet with you on so-and-so date,” he said
ASUU had on September 28 given the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to meet its demands or face a two-week warning strike, which could lead to an indefinite shutdown of public universities.
Two days ago, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, stated that the Federal Government was in the final phase of discussions with ASUU and other university-based unions to settle outstanding issues.
Alausa explained that the talks were focused on addressing concerns over staff welfare, funding for public universities, and the full implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, a document that has remained at the heart of the recurring disputes between the government and the academic union.
Piwuna disclosed that the government only reached out two working days before the proposed strike, appealing for it to be suspended.
“Yesterday, they appealed to us not to embark on action. Our 2009 agreement, which is still being renegotiated after eight years, remains undone. We have not concluded on it, and two working days before a strike action, you come to appeal to us. I think the appeal has come a little too late,” he said.
The ASUU President maintained that the government’s delay in implementing agreements and resolving funding and welfare issues had forced the union into repeated cycles of industrial disputes.
According to Piwuna, the union will proceed with its planned warning strike at the expiration of its ultimatum on Sunday unless the government takes substantial action within the next 48 hours.
“Their ultimatum expires on Sunday, and after that, there will be a warning strike unless something substantial comes out from the government. So, next 24 hours or a maximum of 48 hours, we expect to receive something substantial from the government.
“Then, we can go back to our members and ask, Do you think this is sufficient for us to hold on?’ and we will do what our members ask us to do,” he said
Piwuna said the union has lost confidence in the government’s promises, accusing it of treating negotiations like a game rather than genuine dialogue.
Piwuna said the union has lost confidence in the government’s promises, accusing it of treating negotiations like a game rather than genuine dialogue.
“We have never trusted any government. Governments have never come true with what they promised us. The government sees our engagement like a football they need to dribble. In football, you touch the ball, you hit it this way, you go, you come back,” he said.
He noted that the government has consistently handled its engagement with the union in the same manner, adding that while ASUU wants to trust the government, it must first show genuine commitment to earn that trust.