Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) branch, has expressed readiness of its members to join the impending nationwide indefinite strike, if Federal Government failed to do the needful.
Comerade Oyibo Eze, the Chairman of ASUU-UNN disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Nsukka on Tuesday shortly after the union’s congress which was followed by protest rally by members.
Eze said Nigerians should hold government responsible in case of any nationwide indefinite strike by ASUU as government had failed to do the needful.
”Government inability to implement agreement reached with the union since 2009 is very unfortunate and an indication that education is not the priority of government,”he said.
The Chairman explained that the rally protest was in compliance to the directive of the national leadership on branches of the union to carry out protest rally so as to appeal to government do the needful before it’s too late.
”We held congress earlier before carrying out this rally, where all members expressed their readiness to join any nationwide indefinite strike that may be directed by ASUU national leadership, if government failed to do the needful.
”The congress urged government to implement all agreement reached with the union as well as pay members three and half months owned to members by government.
”That’s is why you see members in their numbers participating in this protest rally directed by ASUU national leadership because enough is enough of government failures to fulfill agreements entered with ASUU,’he said.
He disclosed that ASUU National Executive Council (NEC) meeting that would hold on September 2, after meeting Government on August 28 would determine what next, whether the union would embark on nationwide indefinite strike or not
Our correspondent reports that the peaceful protest rally went through some major roads in UNN and ended at the administrative building of the university.
Addressing ASUU protesting members the Vice-chancellor of UNN, Prof Simon Ortuanya who was represented by Prof Romanus Ezeokonkwo the Deputy Vice-chancellor Administration commended ASUU for the peaceful protest in seeking their demands.
Ortuanya urged the union to take the option of nationwide strike as the last resort after exploring all available avenues to resolve the issue with government.
The VC promised to forward the union’s demands to Federal Ministry of education.
Our correspondent reports that some of playcards carried by the protesting ASUU-UNN members include “Federal Government honour the 2009 agreement between Government and ASUU”, Our wives and children are hungry, pay our three and half months salaries owe members”, “Nigeria lecturers are the least paid globally”.
Others are “FG please, pay lecturers wage awards of 25 per cent and 35 per cent”.
”No pay no work, government honour all your agreements with ASUU, among others.
It would be recalled that ASUU National leadership recently directed its various branches to stage protest rally on campus as well as conduct a referendum in congress to give backing to their proposed strike
ASUU-UNN ready to join nationwide strike, if FG fails to do the needful
